Locals oppose home for children in Clare

Local residents living near an east Clare village are opposing plans by the Sisters of Mercy order to house disadvantaged children in a residential home in the area.

The residents from Knockadreheid at O'Brien's Bridge have said the proposed children's residential home is not in keeping with the farming and family nature of the residents in the immediate area.

They further state that the location of the home on a tourist route is flawed and cannot be in keeping with Clare County Council's plans for tourist walks in the area.

The home is to house six disadvantaged children where 24-hour care is to be provided. It is to be operated by the Mount St Vincent's Childcare Centre and is to be funded by the Mid-Western Health Board. It is the first home of its type in the county.

The director of the Mount St Vincent's Childcare Centre, Mr Bernard Gloster, said the centre would cater for children who could not live at home for a variety of reasons. These children were marginalised because of their circumstances, he said, and often were victims of some category of abuse.

In general, they were aged between 12 and 16, although they could be up to 18.

However, the local residents say the location is inadequate in terms of facilities necessary to cater for the children's special needs.

"We would have expected that an impact study to determine the suitability of the requested change of use of the premises would have been conducted. There is no evidence that this was done," the residents say.

They have also expressed concern that the proposal will hinder the preservation of an existing fishing amenity used by local residents, particularly children.

The concerns are contained in an appeal to An Bord Plean ala against a decision by Clare County Council to grant planning permission to the Sisters of Mercy to change the use of a dormer bungalow to a children's residential unit with workshops.

A spokesman for the residents said yesterday: "Our appeal is based on logic rather than pure emotion. An impact study needs to be carried out on the proposal, while there are also basic flaws in the plan such as its isolation and being located on a dangerous busy road."

Mr Gloster has met the residents, but their spokesman said yesterday their questions had not been answered.

Mr Gloster said he was quite satisfied that the location of the home was a good one. The children were under care for a number of reasons, and he had moved to allay any fears that the residents might have.

Granting planning permission, the council ruled that the site was relatively large, and it was not considered that the proposed development could be accommodated without any undue impact on the amenities of the area or adjacent properties.

A decision by An Bord Pleanala on the appeal is due on October 28th.