REGINA HOUSE in Kilrush is to reopen by the end of the year, the HSE have confirmed.
Closed since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic five years ago, the future of Regina House in providing day care services had remained unclear.
Before its closure in 2020, the Day Centre operated five days a week, providing vital services to older people in West Clare. The facility was shut down as part of public health measures during the pandemic.
Although a decision was made in mid-2022 to resume operations, the centre has remained closed, with the HSE citing “recruitment challenges” as the primary reason for the delay.
In response to a parliamentary question from Clare TD Joe Cooney (FG), the HSE confirmed that the Kilrush facility will reopen by the end of the year. The HSE is progressing a plan to reopen a day centre at Regina House in the final quarter of this year in partnership with the Alzheimer Society of Ireland (ASI) and Clarecare.
Deputy Cooney said, “The HSE has informed me that it is working with voluntary agencies in Clare with a view to providing day services to older adults, including people with dementia, from Regina House and an options appraisal has been completed to determine the best approach to the operation of the day centre”.
“This facility has long been a cornerstone of care for older people in West Clare, and its continued closure has been a source of real concern for local families,” he added. “I will continue to work closely with the HSE to ensure that recruitment challenges are addressed and that the reopening happens without further delay,” Cooney stated.
