Public meeting to discuss the future of St Patrick's in Cashel after HSE statement

Tipperary Sinn Féin TD Martin Browne has arranged a public meeting to discuss the future of St Patrick’s in Cashel and of the development of a Community Nursing Unit (CNU) which was originally planned to be developed there.

Deputy Browne was prompted to organise the meeting following the recent disclosure that the HSE no longer considers the site of St Patrick’s in Cashel as suitable for the development of a CNU. Speaking ahead of the meeting, Deputy Browne said:

“The HSE does not have a great record of being forthcoming with people on plans for health facilities in county Tipperary. We have seen this in the past when the valuable services at St Brigid’s in Carrick-on-Suir were suspended temporarily but never returned.

“I am intent on ensuring the same fate does not befall St Patrick’s in Cashel.

“After years of relative inaction in the development of a Community Nursing Unit on-site the HSE has now performed a U-turn and has ascertained that the site is no longer considered suitable for that purpose due to curious issue with parking spaces.

“They claim a green field site is being considered instead, but no further details would be divulged when I raised the matter in the Dáil or when I raised it at a meeting with local HSE officials on Friday.

“The HSE must be more forthcoming with plans for St Patrick’s and the other services on-site, as well as the options it is considering for the CNU.

“I have organised a public meeting to relay to the public what the HSE has told us so far, and to give the people the opportunity to respond and outline their views.”

The meeting will take place at the Spafield Family Resource Centre on Thursday, May 4 at 7.30pm.