The HSE said demolition work on the new facility in Midleton finally began on August 5.
In a parliamentary response to Social Democrats TD and prominent Owenacurra campaigner Liam Quaide, the HSE said that the build of the replacement centre — which had originally been projected to be finished by the end of March 2025 — had been delayed due to “several factors”, primarily due to the need for a full redesign in the wake of floods which struck Midleton in October 2023.
The flood saw the Owenacurra centre vacated, never to be repopulated, and a full redesign of the proposed new centre was carried out, the HSE said, in order to ensure that the new building is constructed with “enhanced flood protection measures”.
These measures include raised floor levels, ramp access, and “other flood-resilience elements”, it said.
It is unclear when construction of the new building will be finished.
The HSE had not replied to a request for comment at the time of writing.
Mr Quaide said the latest update shows that “we’re finally seeing movement” on the rebuild. He said:
It has been an epic struggle to get to this point.
“By no means was every wrong addressed by our campaign. However, this new service, along with two other properties acquired by the HSE in Midleton, amount to a huge achievement against the odds.”
The HSE had initially committed to a very ambitious timeline last summer which would have seen the new €12.7m 10-bed residence completed earlier this year.
Owenacurra was first marked for closure by the HSE in June 2021. There was a prolonged campaign for the centre to be kept open. That culminated in the HSE committing to building a new facility in November 2023.
As of last March, the budgeted cost of providing the replacement facility had jumped by 25% to €15.9m, despite the fact that construction had yet to start.
That new figure means the budgeted cost of Owenacurra’s replacement is now at least €17.8m when the budget for refurbishing two additional residential facilities — one of which has since opened its doors — in the Midleton area are included.
Owenacurra was first marked for closure in June 2021 when 20 long-term residents were accommodated there. The six remaining residents of the centre at the time of the flood were subsequently housed in temporary lodgings in Midleton.
It is unclear where those in East Cork seeking long-term residential solutions for mental health difficulties have been accommodated since the closure of Owenacurra was first proposed in February of 2021, given there has been no alternate facility for such a referral in the region in the interim.
The HSE previously told the Irish Examiner the date in question “is not available”.