Owenacurra mental health centre replacement works yet to begin
The Owenacurra residential mental health centre in Midleton, Cork, was first marked for closure by the HSE in June 2021. File Picture: Howard Crowdy
Works on a replacement facility for the Owenacurra residential mental health centre in Midleton, Cork, have yet to commence, despite the HSE projecting the construction would have finished by now.
The centre, which up until 2021 had accommodated 20 long-term residents, has been closed since the onset of Storm Babet in October 2023 led to its flooding.
Despite the HSE previously committing to a “very ambitious” timeline, which would have seen the new €12.7m 10-bed building completed by the end of this month, the health service has now admitted the build will not even go to tender until the end of March.
“The specific timeline will be determined once contractors are engaged,” the HSE’s acting head of mental health services for Cork/Kerry, Deborah Harrington, told local Social Democrats TD Liam Quaide in response to a parliamentary question on the matter.
“It is anticipated that construction will commence on site June 2025,” Ms Harrington added.
"Delays with the construction of a mental health facility are to be expected. However, what needs to be addressed is a crude reduction in service capacity over the past four years without a back-up plan,” Mr Quaide said.
He said people who have sought such services in the interim “are being transferred outside their community”.
Owenacurra was first marked for closure by the HSE in June 2021. There was a prolonged campaign calling for the centre to be kept open. That culminated in the HSE committing to building a new facility in November 2023.
Just six of the 20 residents remained at the centre when it was struck by flooding 18 months ago. Those residents were subsequently re-accommodated locally, pending the completion of the refurbishment by the HSE of two local three-bed properties purchased specifically for their use.
A HSE spokesperson said a “number of factors” had contributed to the delay in the construction of the new Owenacurra facility, including the fact that plans had to be “fully redesigned” to include flood protection elements “such as raised floor levels and ramp access”.
They also said site investigations at the location had indicated that ground conditions were “very poor” leading to the planned foundations being “significantly redesigned”, while separately “issues need to be resolved in relation to the boundaries of the site”.
“Meetings are still taking place with the owners of adjoining properties to clarify this,” the spokesperson added.
