Palpable fear as Longford's St Christopher’s running a €4.4 million deficit

Longford County Council will write to both the HSE and the Minister for Health in relation to the future viability of St Christopher’s Centre.

The decision was taken at the May monthly meeting of the local authority.

It follows the notice of industrial action that was served by unions on the management of the Battery Road facility.

Fine Gael councillors Peggy Nolan and Paul Ross tabled a motion calling for the letter to be written.

Cllr Nolan spoke passionately about the importance of St Christopher’s to the Longford community.

“There is palpable fear in Longford in relation to the future of St Christopher’s. Every time that St Christopher’s needed services it got the backing of the entire county. There wasn’t a parish that didn’t fundraise for St Christopher’s,” she said.

Cllr Nolan would like to see a return to the agm meetings that St Christopher’s used to hold.

“These agm meetings used to be a highlight of the year in Co Longford. When I would stand up to the podium at public meetings in relation to St Christopher’s, I could feel the emotion in a packed hall,” she stated.

“One year, the councillors in Longford raised €9,000 to cover a gap that St Christopher’s had. It was an answer to a need,” she added.

Cllr Nolan called on the council to “do whatever we can do.”

“St Christopher’s is a part of the fabric of county Longford. No county in Ireland has a service such as St Christopher’s,” she commented.

She went on to call on the Minister for Health “to step in and reward 60 years of dedication.”

Cllr Nolan emphasised that staff at the facility were keen to avoid taking industrial action. “Many of the parents of service users are in their late 80’s. The staff do not want to upset these people,” she commented.

“I have watched the St Christopher’s campus grow over the years,” she added.

“I have lost sleep over a document I received in relation to the centre,” she continued.

Cllr Paul Ross told the meeting that “staff were not paid last Christmas and this caused stress to families.”

“St Christopher’s is running a deficit of €4.4 million. This is utterly extraordinary. The centre has to run correctly,” he stated.

Cllr Seamus Butler added his support to the motion. “St Christopher’s is an exemplar to the entire country. There is currently a lack of transparency in St Christopher’s. I have received documents in relation to the finances of the centre and if the contents are accurate, then I would fear for the future of St Christopher’s,” he told the meeting.

“This is a caring organisation that has looked after people who were previously kept in the shadows. However, I cannot see it continuing without major change,” Cllr Butler added.

Cathaoirleach Colm Murray told the meeting that the services provided by St Christopher’s were “way above the standard of HSE facilities. It has been run very well since its inception. I would call on the Minister for Health to save the service.”

“The days of the public agm were good practice by St Christopher’s,” he added.

There was unanimous agreement among councillors that a letter should issue to both the HSE and the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly.

Cllr Uruemu Adejinmi informed the meeting that she was a member of the board of St Christopher’s and absented herself from the decision.