Staff problems may delay opening of unit

THE Government’s deadline to have a special Limerick residential centre for troubled children in place by next year came into question yesterday when it was confirmed that recruitment of key staff has got bogged down.

Despite a massive recruitment campaign which cost €94,573 during 2006, staff vacancies for Coovagh House have yet to be filled.

The Coovagh House special unit for troubled boys costing €5 million was due to open three years ago but remains idle.

The ongoing extensive staff recruitment campaigns at home and abroad, are believed to have cost in excess of €200,000 to date.

However, the Health Service Executive Mid West has as of yet been unable to source the necessary staff.

Coovagh House was built to cater for up to five troubled boys in the 11 to 17 age group.

It first opened in September 2003, but due to a staffing crisis it was closed in April 2004 by the Mid-Western Health Board.

A spokesman for the HSE Mid West said yesterday: “The manager’s post has been filled. Interviews are scheduled for child care leaders and social care workers. We will not be in a position to give a breakdown of posts and numbers recruited until the current interview process has been completed.”

The spokesman, however confirmed the projected reopening of Coovagh House by 2007 would be dependent on the current recruitment campaign to get necessary staff.

The campaign to date has reached out to Canada, Britain and other European countries.

Coovagh House will need a total staff of 33, but the HSE refuses to say how many have been recruited to date.

The centre has projected annual running costs of around €2m.

Coovagh House was established on foot of a High Court order by Mr Justice Peter Kelly in 2000 which compelled the State to provide special care for troubled boys.

Mr Justice Kelly said there were no secure accommodation centres for out-of-control teenagers coming before him.

When the recruitment of staff hit trouble two years ago, a spokesperson for the health service said: “It is always difficult to recruit child care workers. There is an international shortage of skilled childcare professionals and our difficulties are no different from those experienced elsewhere in the childcare sector.”