Vandals thrashed three wheelchair-accessible vehicles at a Brothers of Charity-run facility last weekend, including one containing a portable suction machine that is now contaminated with glass and completely unusable.
Gardaí are appealing for the public’s assistance following the break-in at the Brothers of Charity’s Killean Resource Centre on the Lackenwood Business Park, which is thought to have occurred some time between 4pm on Friday and 8am on Monday.
Intruders attempted to gain entry to three vehicles parked to the rear of the centre during the break-in, resulting in windows being broken and the interiors of the vehicles showered with glass. One of the vehicles was fitted with a Portable Suction Machine, which became contaminated with glass and rendered unusable for health and safety reasons.
The Killean Centre provides a wide variety of supports to 29 individuals with a range of intellectual and physical disabilities, some of whom are wheelchair users and many of whom have high personal care needs and require considerable support to participate in daily activities. As a focal point of service delivery, the Killean Centre is also a place from which the community is accessed to ensure a broader range of activity choice and to promote engagement with local community groups and facilities.
Hence transport is essential to the everyday activities of the service and the individuals supported by it, a spokesperson for the service said.
All three vehicles were off the road this week as they underwent repairs. Replacement vehicles from other areas of the service were borrowed which, while not customised for the individuals concerned, minimised the impact on them.
However the incident has caused considerable upset and disruption at the Killean Centre.
The Brothers of Charity spokesperson thanked the Gardaí for their support and help in the matter, along with the families of the individuals supported at the Centre and members of the general public who have been so helpful to the Services.
