Central Remedial Clinic 3.27

The Central Remedial Clinic is a non-residential national centre for the care, treatment and development of children and adults with physical disabilities in Ireland. The Clinic treats over 5,000 clients annually on a free-of-charge basis. Services are provided for people with physical conditions ranging from the very rare to the more familiar, such as cerebral palsy, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy and arthrogryposis.HistoryThe clinic was founded by Lady Valerie Goulding and Kathleen O'Rourke in 1951 as a small non-residential treatment centre in a house on Upper Pembroke Street in Dublin's city centre. It quickly developed paramedical and educational services for people with disabilities. It later became known as the Central Remedial Clinic and began operations as a legal company in October 1953. In 1968 it moved into a purpose-built facility in Clontarf. In the 1970s, Lady Goulding hired Charles Haughey to head up its fund-raising arm. Accountant to Haughey, Des Peelo, was chairman for a period. While Lady Goulding ensured continuing finance from State and philanthropic sources, its medical development was under the direction of Dr Ciaran Barry, who also worked at the Mater Hospital. In 2001, the CRC opened a centre in Waterford, providing a regional assessment service for children in the south-east of Ireland. The Chief Executive Officer of the Clinic is Stephanie Manahan who was appointed in July 2014.