Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The problem here is that members of the Joint Committee on Health are going to visit the Owenacurra centre to look at the so-called structural deficiencies that formed part of a HSE report on the centre. That is one of the reasons the centre is being closed. The petitioners are raising a separate issue relating to the same premises, namely, the social impact of all the services being lost forever. The centre provided long-term and short-term respite, mental health services and day-care services. The HSE is saying the building is not fit for purpose and it has to close it. The Joint Committee on Health is looking at the structural report and asking why we cannot improve the centre rather than knocking it down and losing its services. The petitioners want to appear before this committee and ring-fence the argument that while the structural issue can be addressed, once those beds and services are gone in their area, they will be gone forever and that will have a social impact. That is the issue. I hope I have clarified the matter.