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Two mental health units officially opened in Killarney

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7 years ago

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CUTTING THE TAPE: Minister for Mental Health & Older People, Jim Daly, cutting the tape to officially open Tomies Day Centre at The Reeks, Killarney on Tuesday last. Also in photo are: Brid Collins (Clinical Nurse Manager), Dr Ana Goles, Juliette Brosnan (Acting Assistant Director of Nursing), Kevin Morrisson (General Manager, Mental Health Services HSE), Mary O'Mahony (Area Director of Nursing HSE), Dr Dara Phelan (Executive Clinical Director) as well as invited dignitaries and guests. Photo: Don MacMonagle

 

Two new mental health facilities were officially opened in Killarney last week.

Leawood House, Killarney is the new headquarters for the Rehabilitation and Recovery Mental Health team in South Kerry, and Tomies Hospital is located on the second floor of the Reeks Primary Care Centre in Killarney and offers services five days a week for people in the Killarney and surrounding areas who are experiencing mental health difficulties.

Mary O’Mahony, Area Director of Nursing, Kerry Mental Health Services said that while all three facilities have been open for some time, this was the first opportunity to mark their important contribution in a formal way.

“We are glad to have been in a position to provide new and refurbished facilities for the people of Kerry which has contributed to the delivery of a safe, effective, quality service in a therapeutic environment for both service users and staff,” she said.

There has been significant investment in Mental Health Services in Kerry in recent years – the €13 million Deer Lodge unit opened in 2017 and work is almost complete on an extensive refurbishment of the Sliabh Mis Unit, which is co-located with University Hospital Kerry.

A third facility, the Fiachne Day Centre based in Kenmare Community Hospital, was also officially opened alsi, and will offer services for people from Kenmare and surrounding areas who are experiencing mental health difficulties.

 

 

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New nursing unit to open by end of March

Killarney’s multi-million euro Community Nursing Unit is finally expected to open its doors by the end of March 2025, bringing an end to years of bureaucratic delays. The 130-bed facility […]

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1 hour ago

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20 February 2026

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Killarney’s multi-million euro Community Nursing Unit is finally expected to open its doors by the end of March 2025, bringing an end to years of bureaucratic delays.

The 130-bed facility on the grounds of St Finan’s Hospital. which began construction in 2022 as part of a national Public Private Partnership, was officially handed over to the HSE last year.
The Health Service Executive is currently in the final stages of the registration process with HIQA.
A “courtesy pre-registration visit” was conducted in late January, and the HSE is now addressing minor recommendations before submitting the final application.
The state-of-the-art unit includes 30 dementia-specific beds and will replace the aging facilities at St Columbanus’ Home and Killarney Community Hospital.
Once the transfer of residents is complete, it will clear the way for further healthcare developments in the town, including a proposed Minor Injury Unit at the St Columbanus site.
Bernard Gloster, CEO of the HSE, recently told the Oireachtas Health Committee that the opening is a priority for the first quarter of the year.
Mayor of Killarney Martin Grady confirmed the timeline.

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Father despairs as “voiceless” cast aside in Health Centre dispute

The father of a nine-year-old Killarney girl with profound disabilities has spoken out against the “needless turf war” and “parish pump politics” he believes have stalled the development of a […]

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3 hours ago

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20 February 2026

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The father of a nine-year-old Killarney girl with profound disabilities has spoken out against the “needless turf war” and “parish pump politics” he believes have stalled the development of a primary healthcare centre in the town.

Steve O’Mahony, whose daughter Alexis requires round-the-clock care, issued a stinging open letter following the decision by local councillors to reverse the inclusion of a HSE-run facility at the Áras Phádraig site.
The move followed a period of significant public backlash regarding the use of the town-centre location.
Alexis lives with Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Deficiency, a rare metabolic condition that causes brain abnormalities, alongside cerebral palsy and epilepsy. For the O’Mahony family, the lack of a centralised hub means navigating cramped, scattered facilities or undertaking difficult journeys to Tralee, Cork, and Dublin for vital appointments.
The “voiceless” dismissed
In an open letter seen by the Killarney Advertiser, Mr O’Mahony questions why no one has properly investigated the function of a primary care centre, which he describes as “a lot more than a physical building.”
He argues that the focus on the Áras Phádraig site as being “for the people of Killarney” is a rhetoric that fails to recognise that those with disabilities are also citizens with immediate needs.
“I am a father of a child with complex medical needs who turns 10 years this April,” Mr O’Mahony wrote. “I have ten years of experience of navigating the health system both locally and nationally. It is not always a pretty picture especially when it is mixed with politics, most notably parish pump politics. I do know one thing more than anything and that is that those with a disability are the voiceless. As a father it is my civil duty to speak about this and the whole sorry saga which in my humble opinion has been led by fear and mistrust and shown the voiceless being cast aside yet again.”
He added that the phrase “the Áras Phádraig is for the people of Killarney” is “an insulting phrase that completely dismisses the immediate needs of the most vulnerable in our society.”
A call for urgency
Mr O’Mahony expressed frustration that Killarney is at risk of rejecting €16 million in targeted funding due to the dispute.
He believes the opinions of those who would actually use the services including the elderly, young parents, and people with disabilities were never specifically sought during the public consultation.
“The silence is deafening,” he noted, referring to the lack of follow-up since the initial public outcry subsided. “If half the energy devoted to this story was reinvested in the need for such a centre in our town we would all be smiling.”
As the wait for a modern facility continues, the O’Mahony family remains focused on the daily realities of Alexis’s care.
Over the years, the community has rallied to support the ‘Let’s help Alexis’ fund, helping to provide a wheelchair-accessible vehicle and essential equipment.
However, Mr O’Mahony says the town now needs a proactive approach from its leaders to provide the long-term health infrastructure that children like Alexis depend on.

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