Pledges to save Toghermore

Emotional scenes as staff told of phased closure BY SIOBHÃÂN HOLLIMAN 'No one will be moving before Christmas unless they are clinically discharged to their home or the community,' stressed Ms Cunningham, who said it was no longer sustainable to operate a residential unit at Toghermore. Teresa Duffy Burke, whose sister has spent the past 14 years at Toghermore, is irate at the HSE's decision. Families say they hadn't been informed or consulted about the decision and only learned of it through The Tuam Herald. 'It's terrible. This is her home. They can't come along and rip and shred something like this. They have to give us time to work on it. The staff are like family here,' she remarked. Galway East TD Colm Keaveney says there are people willing to lie down on the estate's tree-lined avenue to prevent the house's closure and accused the HSE of deliberately choosing the days before Christmas to prevent the mobilisation of the community. He said the decision would be strongly resisted. Catherine Cunningham accepted that the timing of the issue was 'dreadful' but stressed that her immediate concern was patient safety. She said the remaining mental health facilities on the campus, including a day centre and day hospital, would continue as usual. Although SIPTU staff members at Toghermore are not taking industrial action they will not take on the duties of members of other unions, who may take action. Local SIPTU organiser Paul Hardy said the HSE should look at all options to retain the valuable facility for the people of Tuam.