Dr. Orla Kelleher:

On the Senator's first question about the Mental Health Commission, we, as family representatives, along with our public representatives who have been involved in the campaign, have written to the Mental Health Commission asking that it consults the families on the closure of the centre and the process around it. However, the Mental Health Commission has stated that it is legally precluded from doing so, or from commenting on the closure. We are struggling with the fact that initially, the Mental Health Commissioner appeared on RTÉ Radio 1's "Drivetime" to discuss the issue. The position is that family members cannot be involved. As family members who are really struggling with the decision, we do not really know where to go. We would definitely like the Mental Health Commission to be involved.

The rationale for the closure has been based on a report published by the HSE estates management department. The report does not provide any evidence of a new building survey that supports the claim that the building is not fit for purpose. There are independent asbestos and fire safety reports that were published in 2019 and 2021. The reports set out the works that need to be done to bring Owenacurra up to standard. They do not state that the centre has to be closed down. The families-----