HSE lambasted as historic St Brigid’s Hospital crumbles

The Ballinasloe site is now the subject of a Derelict Sites Notice from Galway County Council for its failure to maintain historic buildings on the site, in what a local councillor described as a “disgraceful” departure.

At a meeting of Regional Health Forum West, Cllr Alan Harney (FG) sought an update on the HSE’s proposed disposal of the former hospital campus and was told that they “aimed to have a sales agent selected before the end of June”.

A written response from Assistant National Director of HSE Capital and Estates, Niall Colleary, who was not present at the Health Forum meeting, confirmed that the Council had served them with a notice.

“The [St Brigid’s] campus is not in compliance with Section 58 of the Planning and Development Act 200, as the HSE has recently been served with a Derelict Sites Notice. The HSE have engaged with the local authority in relation to this matter with a view to reaching agreement on a pragmatic approach to addressing the issues,” he stated.

Mr Harney said he hoped that the commitment to move the sale process forward would be met.

“My view is that the HSE has failed abysmally in its responsibilities on this site.

“It is absolutely disgraceful that this situation has been allowed to happen under the management of the HSE,” said Cllr Harney.

Cllr Evelyn Parsons (Ind) said it was “regrettable that nobody from Estates is here again”.

“If I went back a year ago, I was told something similar – that an agent is to be appointed,” she said.

Cllr Parsons asked for clarity on the HSE’s own plans for the parts of the site it proposed to keep, and what other State agencies had expressed interest in utilising parts of the St Brigid’s site, as they would be offered first refusal before it was offered on the open market.

It had been indicated that a new ambulance base was to be developed at St Brigid’s.

“I wanted an update and I wanted more detail than this,” she said, referring to a written response which set out National Ambulance Service’s intention to “continue to engage with [the] local HSE Capital and Estates Office on available options”.

“Has a feasibility study been carried out; has there been consultation; is there any design work done; procurement; planning?” asked Cllr Parsons.

The West’s Chief Ambulance Officer, JJ McGowan, described the plan to develop a new ambulance base on the St Brigid’s site as being “very much at the embryotic stage”.

“I’m talking five to 10 years down the line,” he said.

Another project for which the St Brigid’s site has been identified, is the development of a new primary care centre, community care hub and disability service accommodation.

Cllr Parsons asked about the use of St Brigid’s for mental health and addiction services.

Integrated Health Area Manager, Ann Cosgrove, said it was proposed to develop primary care and enhanced community care services in a new build on HSE lands and, at a later stage, to build accommodation for, amongst other facilities, mental health services, disability services and older persons services.

However, she told the meeting she was not in a position to comment on whether or not this would be on the St Brigid’s site.

“It’ll be in the public domain if I comment. We do want these to be co-located to the benefit of all service users.

“When we have more work done on it, I’ll give more information. For the moment, we are working on the scope,” she said.

Cllr Parsons said such a development had the potential to “reshape health service delivery in the region”.

Pictured: St Brigid's Hospital: subject of a Derelict Sites Notice.