Councillors seek HSE update on ‘state of the art facility’

The future of the former St Francis Welfare Home in Fermoy became a topic of conversation as local councillors sought updates regarding what is to become of the building.

At a meeting of the Northern Committee this week, Councillor Frank O’Flynn proposed that the committee writes to the HSE to seek an update regarding their proposal for the facility.

“There was a lot of money spent on it, hundreds of thousands, and it was very welcome. It’s now a state of the art facility and there’s nothing whatsoever happening there. It’s a crying shame that there’s a shortage of beds and they’re talking about building new hospitals when here we have a state of the art facility on the Rathealy Road in Fermoy,”

Cllr O’Flynn said.

Last week, a spokesperson from Cork Kerry Community Healthcare confirmed to The Avondhu that the future use for the building was being reviewed.

“We plan to use the beds there for both transitional/convalescence care and respite services. We are recruiting for a key post to allow us to deliver these services (i.e. medical cover),” the spokesperson said at the time.

According to Cllr O’Flynn, respite services would be a welcome use for the facility, which was previously used as a ‘transitional care facility’.

“We all suffered during Covid, but the people who really suffered were families and carers who needed respite and that were used to it down through the years. I would ask that the respite beds in Fermoy be brought back to full use as soon as possible,” Cllr

O’Flynn said.

Councillors Noel McCarthy and Kay Dawson also welcomed updates on the matter.

The large catchment area that the former welfare home could service was noted by Councillor William O’Leary.

“We have a huge catchment area and that would not only serve the North West part of the county, but West Waterford, South Tipperary and South Limerick.

“It has a huge catchment area for people who are coming out of the acute hospital and acute care and they need a couple of weeks respite close to their families. That’s what we want this facility to be used as,” Cllr O’Leary said.

He also noted a number of day services who had previously sought to use the facility, highlighting a number of potential uses for the building.