Published: Wednesday, 23rd June, 2010 5:00pm

Cootehill ready for a long sit-in

Frances O'Callaghan, HSE Project Manager for the Elderly, Cavan/Monaghan, addressing the Public Meeting in Drumlin House on Monday night on the future of the Darley Day Care Centre in Cootehill. Photo: Brian Mulligan

The senior citizens of Cootehill and surrounding areas are not for turning on the issue of their services at the Darley Health Centre being diminished.

The chairman of the Senior Citizens Committee, CJ Fay, declared to thunderous applause at a public meeting on Monday night in Drumlin House that they were prepared to stage a sit-in and have food delivered to them at the Darley Centre, rather than move to a proposed new building. Put the additional primary care services at the new site, he insisted. Cllr. John O'Hare said the chairman would not be alone...

Mr. Fay said the news that they were going to be moved out of the Darley Health Centre came "as a complete bombshell". The secretary of the committee, Philomena Clarke, said the senior citizens are used to their routine at Darley and they love the people who care for them.

Deputy Margaret Conlon had been in touch with the HSE, which said: "We are considering options to bring additional services into Cootehill for the benefit of people of the town and surrounding areas and there may be some changes made, but the service in Cootehill is not closing." That was the message relayed to the Fianna Fáil TD from the HSE.

This contrasted with what service users heard from staff - that from September there would be a new provider and a new venue for the day care services.

The HSE confirmed that it is pursuing an additional lease in the town, which would give 5,000 sq. ft. of extra space. If the additional space is acquired in the town, the HSE said it will ensure the correct decision is made on which service will be based in the additional space, Deputy Conlon informed those at the meeting.

Sinn Féin's Caoimhghin O Caoláin said the service at Darley had only been running for three years and it was disturbing to note that there was now a lack of certainty. He had received the same responses as Deputy Conlon and they were all "we have not yet made a final determination".

Deputy O'Caolain said there was an upcoming meeting of the local management of the HSE on primary, community and continued care and they would all have an opportunity to engage directly with the health manager for Cavan and Monaghan Liam Kinsella and his team and seek clarity.

Fine Gael's Seymour Crawford was impressed with the turnout of people and it was a great show of strength and solidarity. He said he would be fighting with his colleagues to ensure the services are retained and improved if possible. He was extremely worried about promises from the HSE.

Senator Diarmuid Wilson, deputising for Minister Brendan Smith who was at a Lakeland Dairies function in Virginia, said the minister wished to assure all present of his support for the services at the Darley Centre.

Frances O'Callaghan, project manager with Services to Older People in the HSE, told the meeting that proposals had been put forward but emphasised that they were only proposals. "We see ourselves working with you to come up with the best outcome. The proposal is to bring a Primary Care Team to Cootehill". She also revealed that people who are being transported for such services could receive the service closer to their home area.

A senior member of the audience, Hugh O'Brien, said he thought the meeting was primarily about the venue and was applauded when he said the venue was the Darley Health Centre.

Why fix it when it is not broken, he wanted to know.