HSE said providing information on Owenacurra residents' new placements too onerous

Closure of the 20-bed Midleton mental health facility, which the HSE had slated for closure at the end of October but which is set to remain open in the short term over concerns about rehousing some residents, has been the subject of an outcry from locals

Sinn Féin councillor Danielle Twomey had requested single room specifications and dimensions from prospective replacement facilities for Owenacurra after the HSE had said that keeping residents in Owenacurra’s 'cramped' bedrooms would be 'unacceptable'.

The HSE raised concerns regarding the “significant resource implications” of a councillor seeking detailed information concerning the proposed closure of the Owenacurra mental health facility.

The response was delivered after local Sinn Féin councillor Danielle Twomey had requested single room specifications and dimensions from prospective replacement facilities for Owenacurra after the HSE had said that keeping residents in Owenacurra’s “cramped” bedrooms would be “unacceptable”.

The closure of the 20-bed Midleton facility, which the HSE had slated for closure at the end of October but which is set to remain open in the short term over concerns about rehousing some residents, has been the subject of an outcry from locals.

Owenacurra, which dates from the 1970s, had initially been expected to be substantially renovated before the HSE elected earlier in the summer to close it instead, stating that renovation was not possible as the entire building would have to be demolished.

Ms Twomey had initially requested data under Freedom of Information regarding costings and plans for the Owenacurra site prior to the decision to demolish same.

She subsequently requested single room dimensions in possible replacement locations for the residents of Owenacurra, like St Stephen’s Hospital from the estates section of HSE South.

A reply to that request from an assistant national director of estates at the HSE stated: “It would probably be helpful if we could discuss this further given the significant resource implications these requests are having”.

Room dimensions

The information request regarding room dimensions stems from a response provided by the HSE to the Public Accounts Committee which said a range of “unacceptable deficiencies and issues with the accommodation” would make the maintenance of Owenacurra as a going concern untenable.

“For example, a continuance of our clients living in cramped bedrooms of 7.5sq m with no en-suite, when the current standard is 22sq m,” that briefing document said.

Other reasons for the closure cited include: “the age and construction of the building, the restricted size of the site, and essential systems such as heating, electrics, building fabric etc all beyond end of useful life”.

Ms Twomey said she had offered in response to the HSE’s citing of resourcing issues to relodge her request as a separate FOI inquiry. She said she had now done this, but had yet to receive a response to her offer.

She said she was “disappointed” by the HSE’s response, but said: “I’m not going to be brushed off.”

“This is a serious issue. I don’t think it’s good enough to say that my reasonable request is a drain on resources.”

Local Green councillor Liam Quaide, a prominent critic of the closure, on Friday called for Cork East’s Government TDs David Stanton and James O’Connor to support the appointment of a structural engineer to assess the feasibility of renovations at Owenacurra.