Close eye will be kept on Dunleer clinic closure
FIANNA Fail TD Declan Breathnach says he’ll be keeping a close eye on the fallout from the closure of the Dunleer Welfare Clinic on School Lane.
“While I have been assured that there will be a smooth transition and that the Department has notified all users of this service, I will be keeping a close eye on whether this will in fact be the case”, said Breathnach.
“Clinics will be available in Ardee (041) 6853639 and Drogheda (041) 9815272 by appointment. Having spoken to the Assistant Manager of Intreo Drogheda, I have been assured that the telephone appointment system works extremely well, and that quite often a problem can be solved over the phone without any need for the person to attend at all.
“I have also been assured that for those service users who may be incapacitated and unable to travel to either Ardee or Drogheda that a Welfare Officer will be available to carry out home visits.
“Many of those using this service are already facing challenges and may not have the means to make a longer journey to access the Community Welfare Officer. I will be monitoring the situation for those service users and if this closure is having a very negative impact on them I will raise the matter with the Department on their behalf ”, he said.
Sinn Féin TD Imelda Munster TD has called on the Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty to reverse the decision to close down the Dunleer Community Welfare Services Clinic.
The clinic, which also serves South Dundalk, Castlebellingham, Dromin, Kilsaran, Clogherhead and Annagassan, has been closed down due to “accommodation issues”.
Deputy Munster said: “I have written to the Minister for Social Protection to ask her to reverse the decision to close the Dunleer Community Welfare Services. This is yet another example of the diminution of services in rural areas by this government.’