Labour Tipperary TD Alan Kelly yesterday visited the vacant and idle Baggot St hospital building as part of a Public Accounts Committee visit. The TD is calling for a decision to be made to bring it back into public use within six months either as accommodation or another public service.
Deputy Kelly says it is a scandal that a large, publicly owned building, in the heart of Dublin has been left empty for decades with the last services in the part facing onto Haddington Road closing in 2019. The TD continued to say questions need to be asked about why such a valuable asset has been left empty for so long – describing this situation during a housing and accommodation emergency as a disgrace.
Labour strongly supports the plan to deliver a Primary Care Centre on the part of the premises facing onto Haddington Road that previously served as a drug treatment and community facility but want the main building and site to be revitalized and used. The building is listed on the State register of assets and should be offered for sale if the State will not use it according to Deputy Kelly.
