Cooking and cleaning hit by dispute at teen care unit

CONVENIENCE food replaced home cooking and there was no cleaning or housekeeping carried out in a home for troubled children during an industrial relations dispute.

An inspection last October of the home, in Ballydowd, south County Dublin, found serious differences between management and staff, and that these differences “impacted on the standard of care provided to the young people”.

Accommodation standards were criticised: — the Social Services Inspectorate was told structural defects were becoming apparent and several bedrooms were of an “unacceptable standard”, requiring immediate attention.