Owenacurra residents make impassioned plea to Taoiseach to save their home

The centre "provides us with a safe place where our mental health, and not our illness, is prioritised", the letter to Mr Martin read.

'Improve Us — Don't Move Us' and 'Keep services local' were the messages from residents of Owenacurra, Midleton, Co Cork, as family members and residents brought a letter to the constituency office of Taoiseach Micheál Martin on Evergreen Rd, Turner's Cross. Picture: Larry Cummins

The residents of a mental health facility in Cork which the HSE has earmarked for closure have made a direct and impassioned plea to the Taoiseach to overturn the decision.

Thomas Roche and Michael O’Sullivan, both long-term residents of the Owenacurra Centre in Midleton, were joined by family members on Friday as they handed a letter into Micheál Martin’s constituency office pleading for him to intervene.

Mr Roche, 66, who has lived at Owenacurra for more than 11 years, said: “My life was chaotic before I came back from London and I am in the hospital since I came back, and it’s good.

I came from hell, but now I have a good routine. I want Mr Martin to reverse the decision.” 

The HSE announced plans last summer to close the 1970s-built centre after being advised that it is in very poor condition with major defects. But residents’ families mounted a major campaign to keep it open and to secure investment in the centre.

It was due to close last October, but a temporary stay was put in place as the campaign for investment gathered pace. The families say they are still in the dark about the centre’s future.

Mr Roche’s sister, Mary Cahill, and his brother, Kieran Roche, said local TDs must do more to help him and his fellow residents, like Michael O’Sullivan, who has lived in the centre for over a decade.

Kieran Roche with a message from residents for the Government. Picture: Larry Cummins

Michael said: “It’s not as unfit for purpose as the HSE said. 

"It’s been such a rough year. I was affected by the virus and was in isolation for 10 days, my brother died of the virus, my mother has been sent to a nursing home, and this [the proposed closure] is just one of many problems for me. 

I would like Mr Martin to overturn the decision to have the centre closed. It would be a terrible loss for east Cork.” 

His sister, Maureen O’Sullivan, warned politicians that the campaign is going to ramp up.

In their letter to the Taoiseach, the residents urged him to support their mental health and their right to live in their own community, to reverse the closure decision, and to restore respite services there.

“Owenacurra is a unique centre," they wrote.

"It provides us with a safe place where our mental health, and not our illness, is prioritised.

“It gives us hope because we are surrounded by people with similar experiences. 

Mental illness steals away human companionship so people who are not well are all alone. Owenacurra completely reverses that."

They also praised the centre staff for their support during the pandemic.

A spokesman for the Taoiseach said this is a difficult situation for everyone involved.

"It was made clear to the HSE that on fire, health and safety grounds, there were too many risks to the residents and they had to act," he said.

"Minister Butler is engaging with the HSE and it is important that the needs of residents continue to be met."

In a statement this evening, Minister Mary Butler said: "The HSE decision to transfer services from this centre was not taken lightly and follows serious concerns raised by the Mental Health Commission through their inspection process.

“From the outset, the will and preference of the residents of the Owenacurra Centre have been paramount in all decisions and actions taken by the HSE. I am satisfied that the decisions arrived at were made with best interests of the residents in mind, both from a health and safety viewpoint and from the provision of appropriate treatments."

The statement goes on to say: "The HSE continues to work with each resident individually and consult with their families to agree an appropriate alternative placement based on their assessed needs. Assessments with residents have been completed and consultation with families remains ongoing.

“Residents are moving on a phased basis and the work with each resident is on-going. Two of the residents’ current assessed needs are for nursing home care and the nine remaining residents assessed needs are indicating a reduced care need which could be met in a community residence with rehabilitative support. 

"The HSE are currently sourcing a property and have located a detached house that has been identified as suitable in terms of layout size and location in the area. Funding has been sought and a bid has been submitted. 

"The current assessment is that some of the residents of Owenacurra and other East Cork service users would be suitable for such a community residence service."