Aras Attracta unit given 28 days to avoid closure

Part of the controversial Áras Attracta home for people with learning disabilities has been given 28 days in which to make improvements by the State’s health watchdog or else face closure.

The Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) has issued the facility with a notice of a proposal to cancel the registration of one of the centres on the campus.

The notice was issued last Tuesday following a two-day unannounced inspection by Hiqa staff of the facility in Swinford, Co Mayo, on July 12th and 13th. This followed previous critical reports on the facility published by Hiqa over the last two years.

The closure notice affects one of the three centres at Áras Attracta, comprising five bungalows. Bungalow 3, which featured in an undercover television documentary last year showing residents being abused, is one of the units affected.

The issues raised in relation to the centre largely relate to governance shortcomings and poor management, it is understood.

The HSE, which operates the facility, has 28 days in which to show it is remedying the fault identified in order to avoid closure.

Staff were expected to be briefed on Thursday on developments.

Six people are facing charges of assaulting residents as a result of a garda investigation begun after last year’s documentary, which showed residents being force-fed, slapped, kicked, physically restrained and shouted at.