Fears that planned disability service clinic for North County Dublin could be scrapped

Six years after the Central Remedial Clinic (CRC) got planning permission to develop a disability service for North County Dublin in Swords, there are fears that it could be scrapped as a result of ‘technical difficulties’ with the site, prompting fears that Fingal could lose out on the vital proposed services.

The CRC had planned to develop a purpose-built day-building to provide services for adults and children with disabilities at North Street, Swords.

Social Democrats councillor Paul Mulville said that plans have now stalled with no clear avenue for progress in sight.

“Just last week, the HSE admitted in a parliamentary question to my party colleague Deputy Roisin Shortall, that it believes the CRC ‘have had technical difficulties with their original plans for the site and that alternative solutions for the proposed use of the site are being explored’.

“My fear now is that notwithstanding a population increase of approximately 32,600 (11%) since 2016 – one of the highest in the country – Fingal could lose out on these vital services.

“We desperately need clarity on this from the CRC – and a firm commitment from Government to fund the development of this service.

“It has been six years since Fingal County Council granted permission for the works at 38-40 North Street, Swords, and we know that in August 2016, CRC went so far as to tender for a building contractor to undertake the permitted site preparation works.

“These were completed by December 2016, but the whole project has stalled since then, and more worryingly, no further works are currently planned.”

Mulville said that recent figures highlight the need for better public health services in north County Dublin.

“The CRC had an ambitious €30 million plan for Clontarf, Clondalkin and Swords but so far, no funding has been identified for North Street.

“The latest census figures for Fingal really underline the acute need for improved public services in our area, such as the one proposed by the CRC for North Street.”

“In 2019, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health identified deficits worth €40m in service provision for people with disabilities.

“Our Social Democrats Alternative Budget allocated €20m towards narrowing those gaps, with a goal of closing them completely in Budget 2023.

“The Department of Health’s Disability Capacity Review was published in July 2021 after a very long delay.

“The Disability Capacity Review has estimated that a further €550m to €1000m investment in disability services is required by 2032.

“The people of North County Dublin, people with disabilities and their families, are being left behind by this Government.

“The Fianna Fáil/ Fine Gael/ Green Coalition must now step up to the mark and ensure that funding is provided to the CRC to move this project forward, via a further planning application and then to move towards construction, without further delay”.