The HSE is being asked to reconsider its intention to purchase land at Palmers Hill, Cashel for the development of a Community Nursing Unit.
Local Sinn Féin TD Martin Browne has raised the issue with the Tánaiste in the Dáil asking instead that consideration be given to adapting Our Lady’s hospital instead.
The Health Service Executive previously said neither the St Patrick’s or Our Lady’s sites were suitable and instead expressed a preference to locate the CNU on a parcel of land they own at Palmers Hill on the edge of the town.
Deputy Browne says this site is simply not a viable option.
“The access to it and the site itself simply isn’t suitable. Now we’re being told that the HSE are going to waste money purchasing another plot of land beside it. I can assure you that that site (at Palmers Hill) will not ever be used.
“We’re asking you to intervene or the Minister (for Health) to intervene and stop the wastage of money and put the money into Our Lady’s Hospital and reconfigure the other rooms there. No more wasting of public money with a HSE field that isn’t ever going to be used.”
The Tánaiste is to raise these concerns with the Health Minister and the HSE.
While Micheál Martin accepted that there were concerns about access to the Palmers Hill site he pointed out that developing new sites should be seen as positive.
“Generally speaking acquiring new sites I think is a good thing for the health service to build modern custom built facilities. Normally the HSE then deals with the local authority – works out the planning context, the zoning context – that’s what normally happens, that’s what normally should happen. And if the purchasing of the new site from the HSE’s perspective is the key to the creation and the building of a new facility then I think they should go ahead with it but I will talk to them in terms of your misgivings.”
