HSE apology as welfare office shut on safety grounds

THE HSE has apologised to the users of a community welfare office that had to be shut down before Christmas on health and safety grounds and whose decaying condition was first raised in the Dáil almost seven years ago.

Clients of the community welfare office in Dungarvan, Co Waterford, have had to make alternative arrangements to meet their welfare officer in recent weeks because of the shutdown, on safety grounds, of the local office in Mary Street.

Alternative accommodation has been secured by the HSE for the office elsewhere in the town, but it is not expected to be ready until February.

The HSE confirmed management of the community welfare services unit were “left with no option” but to close down the office in December because of the “unsatisfactory” condition of the Mary Street premises.

Clients have to telephone the HSE to arrange to see a welfare officer, until the office is ready for opening in February.

“We’re glad it’s opening,” said Fine Gael TD John Deasy yesterday, “but we can’t believe it has been eight years or so to get this far. It’s been six years since we received letters saying the new location was imminent”.

In recent weeks, the welfare officer has been meeting some service-users on an ad hoc basis at St Joseph’s Hospital in Dungarvan.

“The HSE apologises for any inconvenience caused and endeavours to assist anyone in the locality wishing to avail of the service,” said the HSE.

Mr Deasy said his father, former TD Austin Deasy, had raised the condition of the office in Dungarvan as far back as 2001, and he had himself been forced to bring it to the Dáil’s attention recently because of the lack of progress on improving the existing office or finding an alternative.

The former south-eastern health board was committed to renovating the CWO premises in Dungarvan up to six years ago, because of the acknowledged problems with the accommodation.

A health board manager told Austin Deasy in 2002 that despite “some repairs” carried out the previous year, the premises was in “poor condition”, and plans to upgrade the service were “at an advanced stage”.

The HSE told John Deasy in June of 2006 they were “exploring alternative options” in Dungarvan to deliver the service.

Mr Deasy said yesterday he “never wanted” to have to raise the subject in the Dáil, “but you can only write so many letters and can only make so many representations, and in the end something has to give”.