A mental health advocate and politicians have slammed the HSE for pulling counsellors out of Creeslough three weeks after a blast claimed the lives of 10 people and injured another eight.
The temporary drop in counselling service set-up by the HSE in the aftermath of the explosion at a service station and apartment complex is to come to an end this Tuesday.
An Applegreen service station and several apartments, post office and main shop were decimated during the explosion in the Co Donegal village.
Those who were killed were aged from 5 to 59, while several of those injured still remain in hospital.
Marie Duffy, editor of the local Co Donegal Creeslough View Community magazine, revealed on social media that the HSE are halting the drop in service and that it would only remain available via a helpline from 9am to 5pm five days a week
“Interesting that the HSE counsellors will no longer be available in Creeslough from Tuesday. Locals will have to go to their GP who will refer them to services,” said Ms Duffy.
“The helpline will still be operational during working hours Monday to Friday. So this is the emergency response?”
Ms Duffy continued: “They (HSE) are under-resourced and underfunded. This wouldn't happen if we were closer to Dublin. I know that for a fact. Resources need to be made available to support Donegal mental health services to support people. They are doing their best in difficult circumstances.”
Her comments were supported by Social Democrats councillor for South County Dublin Carly Bailey, who called for the decision to be immediately reversed.
Taking to Twitter she said: “Disgusting decision that must be reversed. Some may not even realise yet that they’ll need professional support. The shock is still palpable at this stage.”
'Not acceptable'
TD Pearse Doherty also echoed the councillor’s outrage taking to Twitter saying; “This is not acceptable. The HSE must reverse this decision. People are only beginning to deal with the trauma.
“Support must be available and accessible to this community.”
The victims of the disaster include five-year-old Shauna Flanagan Garwe and her father Robert Garwe (50), Catherine O'Donnell, (39), and her son James Monaghan (13), Leona Harper (14), Jessica Gallagher (24), James O'Flaherty (48), Martin McGill (49), Martina Martin (49) and 59-year-old Hugh Kelly.
The HSE has confirmed that the drop-in service will be coming to an end this week.
Ms Duffy vowed not to “let” the reduction in counselling “lie”.
“Trying to support people in my community is taking its toll on my own mental health to be honest. As a mental health advocate I will be shouting from the rooftops till I can't shout anymore. The reality is the HSE mental health services in Donegal can't cope.”
Ms Duffy also pointed out that the main road in and out of the village has not reopened since the explosion and that locals would find it difficult to access in person professional counselling services.
“Can I also say that the main road isn't even open yet so people who don't drive can't access support services elsewhere because the few buses are no longer running through the town. A lot of people wouldn't even be able to make a 30 minute bus journey to Letterkenny,” explained Ms Duffy.
However, Ms Duffy did point out that the reduction in HSE resources was completely down to a lack of resources.
“By the way I don't blame the HSE at all. The people within the services are doing their very best with very stretched resources. They need to be adequately resourced as do every other mental health service around the country.”
