IT’S clearly a case of now or never if any section of the sprawling St Finan’s Hospital complex is to be acquired to benefit the community, a local councillor has insisted.
Cllr Maura Healy-Rae said there must be a plan put in place to protect and restore the original buildings for the benefit of the people in the town and the county.
“There are several opportunities available to put the land to good use. It’s now or never because we won’t have any opportunity if it’s sold privately,” she said.
Cllr Michael Gleeson said there might be some merit in approaching the newly appointed Minister for Education, Kerry TD Norma Foley, with a view to securing her support to develop a university-style campus with student accommodation on the site.
“This is our last chance,” he warned.
The Health Service Executive had already been urged to have a major rethink on its plans to offer the hospital complex and surrounding land for public sale.
KillarneyToday.com previously revealed that an application from Kerry County Council to acquire 5.66 acres of HSE land – in the Ballydribbeen area – was the only expression of interest received from any state body.
As a result, a decision was made to invite private bids and it is understood that a number of interested parties have already visited the site.
“There has been no further interest in the former Saint Finan’s building and surrounding lands and so it is the HSE’s intention to dispose of the remainder of this property, via public sale, in the near future,” senior HSE officials confirmed late last year.
The HSE itself will retain part of the campus for a Public Private Partnership development of a new 10,045sq m community nursing unit which is earmarked for a site adjacent to the bypass road, where Killarney Celtic FC previously played their home games.
The protected structure hospital, built in 1846, has been vacant since 2012.
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