NEW: Local councillor welcomes u-turn from HSE on Cashel Community Nursing Unit

Local councillor Declan Burgess has offered an update on the proposed Community Nursing Unit at St Patrick's Hospital in Cashel.

On Friday last, Cllr Burgess said that "after more than two years of the HSE ruling out the St. Patrick’s Hospital campus as a site for the new Community Nursing Unit (CNU) in Cashel, I welcome the fact that common sense has finally prevailed".

"A design team has now returned to the St. Patrick’s site to carry out further work," he continued.

"This reflects what many of us have been saying all along. It’s clear that the Palmers Hill location is not suitable and is unlikely to progress. This has been clear through substantial engagement with the planning section of Tipperary County Council, which highlighted the many challenges associated with that site. I have consistently communicated these concerns to the HSE.

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"The St. Patrick’s Hospital campus is the natural and most appropriate home for the new CNU. I can confirm that the HSE is currently working with a Design Team on this process. It is hoped that the site option appraisal process can be completed in the next two months. 

"I will continue to monitor the process closely and will advocate strongly to ensure that this project proceeds without further delay.

"Crucially, this development remains on the HSE Capital Plan. It is a vital piece of infrastructure for community healthcare in Cashel and South Tipperary, and the HSE must now deal seriously with this project.

"I am confident the project will move ahead, but we must put the delays behind us and make meaningful progress. I have raised the problems with the Palmers Hill proposal from the outset and have always believed that St. Patrick’s is the only logical location for the CNU.

"I remain committed to working constructively with the HSE, and I urge my political colleagues at all levels to do the same. Our focus must be on delivering this essential facility for the people of our community.

"The Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, has confirmed to both Deputy Michael Murphy and I that:

"A meeting was recently held, along with the IHA manager, regarding the existing site of St. Patrick’s Hospital and a decision was made to further investigate options on this site by the removal of some existing buildings. This feasibility regarding St. Patrick’s is ongoing and should be completed in the next three weeks.

"The HSE remains committed to providing a new Community Nursing Unit (CNU) for Cashel, Co. Tipperary.

"Once a suitable site has been decided upon, a plan and timescale for the project can be provided".

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