Concern over teenagers after Donegal care centre closed down

Concerns have been raised for the welfare of two teenagers with mental health difficulties who have been

moved 200km to a new residential care centre away from existing community supports.

The teenagers were moved following the closure of Cleary House Supervised Residential Unit in Knocknamona, Letterkenny, to a centre in the Midlands.

The Co Donegal centre was closed by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, following a Hiqa follow-up inspection at the end of last week. It is understood the closure followed concerns about staffing levels.

Vulnerable

Pearse Doherty

, Sinn Féin TD for Donegal, referring to one of the two teenagers, said there was “great concern that this very vulnerable young person” had been moved “hundreds of kilometres away from their home, their support network, their friends, their school”.

He said it was his understanding that the staffing problems had been flagged with Tusla some months ago.

The issues should have been rectified before it came to “uprooting this child”, he said.

In a statement last night, Tusla confirmed Cleary House had been closed indefinitely.