A local Councillor says he is confident that progress will be made on the Community Nursing Unit in Cashel.
Fianna Fáil’s Roger Kennedy was among a group of public representatives that met with the HSE on Monday in relation to the future development of the healthcare facility for the town.
Investigations are still on-going to check the suitability of the Palmer’s Hill, however, some members of the local community have questioned the accessibility to that site.
Cllr. Kennedy told Tipp Today he accepts the commitment given by the HSE and Minister Butler.
“I accept the commitment that we’ve got from the Minister, Mary Butler, and from the people in the HSE that this is on their capital plan. This is their programme, they’re working towards this. It will take time – we’re told they’ll be back to us before Christmas.
“If Palmers Hill is deemed to be a suitable site…if you take everything to go ahead full steam you’re talking about probably five years.”
However the possibility of a Community Nursing Unit going ahead in Cashel are slim according to Deputy Mattie McGrath.
He says funding appears to be an issue as well.
“Delay, delay, delay….there’s some money in the capital plan this year. We’d be fooling with that site over in Palmers Hill and I mean fooling.
“This is only the study of the topography and access and egress – it’s not at all about the design of any building. That’s years away we were told. They should be looking for a green field site….first of all they should have told us up front that Cashel (St Patrick’s) wasn’t suitable.
