Picture: Don MacMonagle
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly personally reviewed progress on the construction of a new 130-bed community nursing unit when he met with contractors and HSE staff at the site located in a section of the St Finan’s Hospital complex, just off the Killarney bypass road.
He said the development is an important advance in the provision of healthcare, within the community.
“It is a very significant project for Killarney and the surrounding areas and it represents a significant capital investment.
“It will give future residents a very high standard of comfortable, single-room accommodation, matching the high standard of care provided by staff,” the minister said.
The 130-bed unit, which will replace the current services provided in St Columbanus Home and the former Killarney District Hospital. will be made up of four 25-bed units and a 30-bed dementia unit consisting of three 10-bed units. The new facility will be all en suite single-room accommodation.
Construction began last December and it is due for completion in 2025.
Minister Donnelly, who was accompanied on the site visit by Education Minister and Kerry TD Norma Foley and Mayor of Killarney, Cllr Niall Kelleher, also paid a courtesy visit to Columbanus Community Hospital where he met a number of residents in two wards.
Residents from St Columbanus will move to the new community nursing unit once it is completed.
Director of Nursing at the facility, Breda Delves, said that residents and staff are excited about the development of the new building which is being developed through a public private partnership.
“This project is significant as regards the HSE plans to replace outdated community hospital buildings across both Kerry and Cork but it’s also an exciting one for the town of Killarney and for our residents,” she said.
“Staff are looking forward to the move to a modern new building but, for our residents, it is a move to a more comfortable, modern home which affords them the privacy and dignity that they deserve,” Ms Delves added.
Minister Donnelly later visited the new Castleisland Primary Care Centre, where construction work is complete and plans are underway for the extensive internal fit-out needed for a wide range of HSE community services.
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