Mental Health Commission set to explain planned Owenacurra closure to Oireachtas committee

Owenacurra had been slated for closure in June 2021 — however, following a determined protest campaign by its residents, their families and the local community – the facility has never actually shut its doors. File picture: Howard Crowdy

The Mental Health Commission (MHC) is set to appear before an Oireachtas committee to discuss its role regarding the controversial closure of the Owenacurra mental health facility for the first time next week.

The commission has come under concerted pressure in recent weeks to explain its stance regarding the closure, given its reports had repeatedly been used as justification for that closure despite other facilities in Cork having been given poorer compliance ratings by the MHC than the Midleton centre.

The MHC is set to appear before the Committee on Disability Matters on Thursday morning of next week. Previously the commission had declined to appear before both the Oireachtas health and petitions committees on separate occasions to discuss the closure.

The MHC is also set to appear before the Public Accounts Committee at some stage in the new year, an appearance which cannot be declined given that committee’s powers of compulsion.

The disability matters committee considers all such matters including Ireland’s implementation of the UN Convention on the rights of people with disabilities.

One of those rights is the right of a person with a disability to live in a community. Advocates for the remaining residents of the Owenacurra centre, which is located at the heart of the Midleton community, claim that those rights are being denied to former residents of the facility.

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Owenacurra had been slated for closure in June 2021 — however, following a determined protest campaign by its residents, their families and the local community – the facility has never actually shut its doors.

Family members have written to the committee, criticising the MHC's actions to date, claiming that there has been little engagement on the matter.

A spokesperson for the MHC said it had conducted an inspection of Owenacurra two weeks ago.

They said that during that inspection the MHC’s inspectors had engaged with residents “who are our primary concern”, adding that the report will eventually be published in full “in line with our policy of openness and transparency.