First the anger, then the despair, now…already…a growing sense of resignation. Last Friday, the Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) stunned staff at the Cuisle Accessible Holiday Resort in Donamon by announcing the facility will close on November 29th.
A fightback is underway, but a sense of foreboding remains. One thing most observers agree on is…there are questions the IWA ought to answer.
Here’s TEN from the Roscommon People…for starters
1: Did the IWA ask the Divine Word Missionaries for an extension on the lease beyond 2026?
2: Regarding the ‘significant investment’ which the IWA says would be needed for the building, can IWA clarify what is the precise level of expenditure required?
3: Will the IWA publish documentation/business proposal in respect of the estimated costings for upgrading works?
4: Why has the IWA not engaged (over recent months) with local politicians in respect of existing funding availability (Roscommon LEADER, County Council, Divine Word Missionaries)?
5: Is the board prepared to postpone or abandon the closure in any circumstances?
6: Why did the IWA give staff such short notice of the plan to close?
7: Why did the IWA choose to make this announcement on a Friday afternoon?
8: Why did the IWA initially attribute the decision to close to a financial deficit – and then switch the emphasis to a new model
of care?
9: Why has the CEO been slow to respond to concerns raised by staff, service users and public representatives?
10: Will the board publish details of how funds raised for Cuisle by the public in Roscommon in recent years have been used?
