HSE served with derelict site notice over local building
The old St. Brigid's Hospital in Ballinasloe
The HSE has been served with a derelict site notice over the condition of one of its local, listed buildings.
At this afternoon’s HSE West Regional Health Forum, the long running issue of St Brigid’s Hospital in Ballinasloe was again raised. The HSE has been repeatedly accused of letting the former psychiatric hospital, which has been closed since 2013, go to “wrack and ruin”.
Ballinasloe councillor, Alan Harney, asked for an update on the appointment of an agent for the disposal of the St Brigid's Hospital Campus. He also asked the HSE to demonstrate how it is in compliance with planning laws “with regard to these protected structures and the need to protect them from endangerment”.
In response the HSE said it is aiming to have a sales agent selected before the end of June to manage the disposal process for St Brigid’s.
“The campus is not in compliance with Section 58 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as the HSE has recently been served with a derelict sites notice,” the HSE said.
The HSE said it has engaged with the local authority “with a view to reaching agreement on a pragmatic approach to addressing the issues”.
Cllr Harney said it was regretable that a notice had to be sent to the health services but that it had a legal duty to preserve these listed buildings.
