Derelict Wicklow health centre could be purchased by county council

By Hugh O'Farrell Walsh, The Wicklow People

Wicklow County Council has not ruled out purchasing the derelict Donard Health Centre in west Wicklow.

At the end of last month, the Health Service Executive (HSE) confirmed the facility will not be re-opened and is instead being disposed of completely.

The centre was closed during the Covid 19 pandemic and has never re-opened.

Its prolonged closure has left the building in a poor and dilapidated condition, and now in need of significant refurbishment.

The HSE had previously indicated the centre was being considered under its Minor Capital Programme for refurbishment and a return to use.

However, in response to a recent parliamentary question tabled by Sinn Féin TD for Wicklow John Brady, the HSE has now confirmed that it deems the centre surplus to their requirements and will dispose of it.

Following a question from Cllr Avril Cronin during the county council’s September monthly meeting, chief executive Emer O’Gorman said they would consider the proposal of purchasing the building.

“We have had no engagement, but we can certainly ask the question of the HSE. And if it was, I suppose surplus to their requirements we will certainly look at it, but it will be dependent on funding being available no more than any of the other community facilities that we brought in.”

Cllr Cronin stressed the importance of the building being kept as an active health facility.

“I contacted the Minister for Health, the last Minister for Health, numerous times on this and I was told that the health centre -- it was closed just prior to Covid, and it hasn't reopened. It's a derelict building in the heart of the village.

“I was told that it was going to be included in the Minor Capital Works Programme with the Department of Health to at least get the building up to standard that it could be used. Unfortunately, now it seems that that's not going to happen.”

“The building is still there. It's derelict. Would it be a possibility that it could be used for community use?

"If that is the case, I would hope that the council could row in behind it and maybe we could look at it and see how we can use it to benefit the community as it is a fine building in the centre of the village that I think we could put to good use.”