Tipperary Sinn Féin TD Martin Browne has revealed that over €200,000 has so far been spent on developing plans to deliver a community nursing unit for Cashel without “a block laid or a site identified.”
The figures were confirmed with Deputy Browne following continued update requests to the HSE. Deputy Browne has now referred the spiraling costs of the project to the Public Accounts Committee.
Deputy Browne says given that the site has not even been finalised the expenditure is a waste of money. The HSE says that it’s preference is to build on land that it owns at Palmers Hill but that other sites are also being considered. Earlier this year the HSE said that it will not make a final selection until the next Cashel Local Area Plan is produced which is expected to reach draft stage next year. The Cashel CNU was to be submitted for planning in 2019 at St Patrick’s Hospital – a site the HSE now says is too small to accommodate the unit and the required level of parking.
The Cashel Based Sinn Fein TD is also warning that if government representatives decide to “pull a rabbit from the hat ahead of the general election” with an announcement of progress on the project they need to be reminded that public money is not there to get them seats. “Public money is there to provide for the needs of the communities they have neglected to-date” he concluded.
