Concerns remain over lack of services at Cashel na Cor

Concerns have been raised once again surrounding the lack of services at Inishowen's Cashel na Cor Resource Centre.

The centre for people with learning difficulties has yet to increase the number of days it is open to users since covid restrictions were scrapped.

The adverse effect the partial closure of the day centre on users was highlighted last year after employees were redeployed to other settings within the HSE due to Covid-19.

The service was reduced for users from five to two days due to the pandemic.

This newspaper has learned that services at Cashel na Cor have still not reached the levels of pre-covid.

Cllr Rena Donaghey said she has been inundated with complaints from concerned parents.

“My phone hasn't stopped ringing with parents who are angry that their children can not get access to Cashel na Cor,” Cllr Donaghey said.

“Cashel na Cor provides such a valuable service for these families.

“In most of these cases these parents are elderly and can not look after their child all day every day, so this service gives these parents some badly needed rest.”

Cllr Donaghey called on the HSE to launch a recruitment drive to raise staffing levels to allow the centre to reopen five days a week.

“There used to be a pool of people that could be asked to work but that pool has dried up and the HSE has to launch a recruitment drive as a matter of urgency.”

The Inish Times has contacted the HSE, however no response was given by the time of going to print.