Kerry TD Michael Healy Rae believes the government and the HSE are using underhanded tactics to force the closure of St Mary’s of the Angels.

The Beaufort-based care facility is home to around 76 people with physical and intellectual disabilities ranging from moderate to profound.

Many residents have been living here for most of their lives.

However, Healy-Rae says that new residents are not being invited to take up rooms at the facility. If one resident passes away or moves to another location a new client is not being offered their room.

He believes that this is an underhand way of forcing the closure of the facility.

“Sadly people who are residents here when they pass on there are no new residents moving in so it is effectively being closed in a slow but sure fashion,” he said.

“It has over the years provided an excellent friendly happy place for people to live their lives. I appreciate some people’s disability and care requirements might mean they could live in a de-congregated setting. My point throughout all of the years has been that one shoe does not fit all sizes.

“I have again raised this matter with the Government and the HSE to try and ensure that St Mary the Angels will be not allowed to close but I have again being told no that the policy is that all people living in congregated settings will be moved to dispersed housing in ordinary communities and will have the same entitlement as any other citizen.

“I believe that in time all politicians will wake up to this fact and realise that this was an error but it will be too late at that stage. Continuous Minister’s for Health have failed to fully appreciate the appreciation of families for the services of St Mary the Angels. It will be a loss beyond belief to see it eventually closing down.”