A decision on whether Waterford's Brooke House will re-open is set to be made in the coming days.
Service users have been protesting outside the mental health centre which has been closed since the beginning of the pandemic for a number of weeks now.
Speaking at a protest outside the facility today (Wednesday) Sinn Féin Cllr John Hearne said a decision will be made at a HSE meeting this week.
"I believe it is this Thursday or Friday that they [The South East HSE] will be making a decision.
"They meet once a month and we are very hopeful that this week they'll make the right decision because we don't want it to go on another three weeks.
"It's bad enough that we have poor facilities but we can't afford to lose the facilities that we have - especially not the jewel and crown of our local psychiatric services," Cllr Hearne said.
After spending time in and out of hospital-based psychiatric care, Teresa Anne Williams started using Brook House 14 years ago, which she said had a huge impact on her life.
"I have suffered from depression since I was thirteen years of age and had been in and out of psychiatric hospitals.
"Since I started going to Brooke House, I have not been admitted to a psychiatric hospital once.
"It saved my life, but the past two years have been tough. We speak to the staff in primary care but it's not the same on the phone," she said.
Catherine Butler from Dunhill who has been using the service for over 30 years, said it was extremely important for people in rural areas.
"It did everything for me. I live in the countryside in Dunhill and it got me out of the house.
"The minibus used to come out and collect me but since Covid, I barely go outside the door.
"You're mixing with people and doing activities like the bingo, yoga and relaxation - we're one big family inside," she said.
Footer O'Reilly availed of the service five days a week before it closed in March of 2020, and said people need to understand the seriousness of the situation.
"The attention we got here from the nurses was brilliant and if you had a problem it would be sorted that day - there was no waiting weeks to see a psychiatrist.
"There's a first-class facility at Brooke House actually keeping people out of the hospital and dare I say out of the graveyard.
"We have no one to turn to, and to us, it feels like life or death," O'Reilly said.
Tomorrow a motion on the future of the facility will be brought before the plenary meeting of Waterford City and County Council.
For all the latest Waterford news, click here.
