Kerry County Council is to encourage the HSE to use the District Hospital and St Columbanus Home in Killarney to expand its services for the area.
Both facilities are due to close, as a new community nursing unit opens in the town just off the bypass.
Independent councillor and Cathaoirleach of the Killarney Municipal District, Maura Healy-Rae, raised the issue of their future uses at this month’s council meeting.
Construction is almost complete on a new, 130-bed community nursing unit in Killarney on a section of the grounds of the former St Finian’s hospital.
Once this is complete, patients in the existing St Columbanus Home and District Hospital will be transferred to the new unit, leaving these two facilities vacant.
The HSE previously said the results of a review of current and predicted accommodation needs in the Killarney area will influence the future use of the two existing facilities.
At this month’s meeting of Kerry County Council, Cllr Maura Healy-Rae called on the council to write to the HSE seeking an update on the future use of the buildings.
Kerry County Council said it has not yet received correspondence from the HSE in relation to this.
Cllr Healy-Rae said it’s reasonable that the public would have some idea what the HSE are thinking of doing with both properties, and she found the lack of communication concerning.
She said the provision of respite services and residential care services for those with additional needs would be beneficial for the area, as would a minor injury clinic.
Chief Executive of the council Martin O’Donoghue said the council had previously expressed an interest in both properties in respect of social housing.
He said he understands from the motion that elected members would prefer other uses, and he has no problem reverting to the HSE to say they should be used for an expansion of HSE services for the town.
