Staff call on state to intervene as Bessborough family services face closure

Staff at the Bessborough campus in Cork city have called on the state to step in to secure the family services which face closure within months.

Staff representatives have sought meetings with political leaders to discuss the fall-out from the shock announcement this week by the religious order which owns the site that it is pulling the plug on its involvement in the Bessborough family centre which provides a range of services to vulnerable families and children.

There is a particular concern for the future of the six adults and seven children who avail of residential accommodation on campus, for the parents and children who live in its transitional accommodation, and for the families who avail of fostering and psychology services.

The Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, a congregation based in London, have indicated their intention to withdraw from the centre by the end of the year.

The nuns said they are trying to find a “new service provider” that will have the capacity to continue the support services work at a different location.

It leaves 105-staff at the family centre in limbo and casts doubt over the future of the centre which works with up to 50 families a week.

The on-site creche, which cares for 130-children, is not affected by the decision.

Staff said they plan to ask local and national politicians to urgently explore the potential for state agencies to intervene, either in the form of the HSE, Tusla or the Land Development Agency.

The order signalled its intention just over two years ago to sell the campus, the site of a former mother and baby home, and told staff this week that the sale process is ongoing.

However, the Irish Examiner has learned that the “process” effectively stalled several months ago and a private sale is unlikely in the short to medium term.

Property experts said the 40-acre site, bounded on the south by the South Ring Rd and on the east by the Mahon industry, tech and retail hub, is worth between €10m and €12m and has the potential to accommodate up to 500 residential units.

The site was never publicly advertised. A brochure was never produced. Private developers were approached to gauge their level of interest.

While some expressed interest, the general view was that there were too many uncertainties linked to the landbank and that there was concern too around the timing to unlock its development opportunities.

All acknowledged the complex legacy issues linked to its former mother and baby home and accept that the historic buildings on site would require special attention.

Earlier this week, staff at the family centre accused the religious order of abandoning its “founding purposes and moral compass” and of adopting a “run and grab all” attempt.

It is estimated that the state has ploughed some €30m into Bessborough over the last 20 years, and that the charity which runs the centre has spent some €3m on the upgrading of the buildings in recent years.