IN a day which saw two major twists to the CoAction Bantry saga, it has just been announced the proposal regarding the change of use of the organisation's premises will not now go ahead.
Earlier, five of CoAction’s seven trustees resigned, following weeks of acrimony over plans to repurpose its Child and Family Centre in Bantry.
A letter issued by the board of trustees said the decision was made ‘after long consideration and in light of a clear expression of no confidence’ from parents, local political representatives, and a letter issued by the Minister for Children Anne Rabbitte.
The statement referred to ‘a cohort of parents and their supporters’ who ‘mounted a verbal attack’ at CoAction’s agm on November 24th.
This, they said, has continued ‘on several social media platforms, and on the broadcast media, with protest marches and a barrage of some distressing emails to the office of the ceo.’
They said that the position of the trustees was 'now untenable as there is a clear lack of confidence in the board which is damaging to CoAction.’
They also stated that any potential developments in relation to the Child and Family Centre ‘will be a matter for the new board.’
However, just minutes ago, Fianna Fáil TD Christopher O'Sullivan posted on his Facebook page that he had been informed by Minister Anne Rabbitte's office that the transfer of services to the purpose-built facility at The Slip will not now go ahead.
'In the last hour the HSE have contacted the Minister's Department to confirm the news,' he said.
Read the full report in next week's edition of The Southern Star.
