Politicians call to retrofit mental health facility at Owenacurra site

The Owenacurra Centre in Midleton.

A mental health facility in east Cork, set to be closed by the HSE, could be retrofitted instead to keep the service operating, politicians who visited the site have said.

The closure of Owenacurra mental health facility in Midleton, which offers residential care for people with significant mental health challenges, was announced in June. 

The HSE in Cork/Kerry has said it is not possible to renovate the 1970s single-storey building or bring it up to standard without completely demolishing it first. 

However, residents, their families, mental health experts and politicians have campaigned for the centre to remain open, saying they recognise the excellence of the service and its contribution to the East Cork community.

Members of the Oireachtas health committee, mental health committee and local politicians visited the centre yesterday and met with residents, staff and HSE officials.

Neasa Hourigan says that the ‘valuable site’ at Owenacurra should not be abandoned. Picture: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie

Neasa Hourigan, the health spokesperson for the Green Party and a qualified architect, said the visit made it even clearer that the “valuable site” should not be abandoned.

“With my professional hat on, I don’t accept the findings from HSE Estates.”

The building sits in a square around a central garden on a large site, and she suggested renovating wing by wing as there are currently just 11 residents remaining out of 24.

The closure will leave East Cork without 24-hour high dependency beds, she said.

Staff also said a short-term respite service typically hosted two people every week before the pandemic.

“We are talking over 100 people every year, and there is now no provision for that service in East Cork,” she said.

Service area

Sinn Féin TD for East Cork, Pat Buckley said the centre caters for areas as far apart as Youghal and Knockraha with a waiting list for respite services.

“You are talking about 94,000 people. I cannot buy the spin from the HSE management that because the building is not fit-for-purpose, the whole service has to be closed,” he said.

Describing the visit as “open and candid” he did not hear any logical reason for moving people to larger or more remote institutions, he said.

Senator Frances Black, chair of the mental health committee, said she would now like to see an independent survey done on the building.

“ I saw the energy in the place, it needs to be refurbished, but the residents who are there are so happy, there is no doubt it is their home,” she said. “It is not your typical residential mental health facility.” 

Unresolved issues

The HSE said on Tuesday that “inherent, fundamental and unacceptable matters remain unresolved” and that the decision remains unchanged. “Based on existing standards of accommodation for the client profile in the centre, a new facility approximately twice the size of the current centre would be required,” a spokeswoman said.

“This does not include essential necessities on-site such as secure, external recreational and therapeutic spaces and as well as an independent day unit.”