The clock is ticking for the HSE to honour its commitment to opening the new Killarney Community Nursing Unit (CNU), with just 11 working days remaining until the end of March deadline.

Following the St Patrick’s Day bank holiday and upcoming weekends, the HSE has a rapidly closing window to meet its “Quarter 1” opening target, date previously confirmed to both the Mayor of Killarney and the Regional Health Forum South West.

At the recent Regional Health Forum, Cllr Jackie Healy-Rae pressed for a definitive opening date for the long-awaited facility.

The official response from HSE South West stated that they are “actively working” to open the unit by the end of March, following a recent pre-registration visit by HIQA.

The HSE confirmed it is currently closing out recommendations from that visit before submitting a formal registration application.

However, Cllr Healy-Rae questioned the strength of this commitment. “Intentions are not guarantees,” he said. “I asked directly on the record whether the HSE is committing to having the full complex open by the end of March, and the response given was that it is their intention to do so.”

Staffing concerns
The project, which was originally expected to be operational by Christmas 2024, has been plagued by delays.

The HSE’s official reply acknowledged that “workforce planning and engagement with staff is ongoing” to ensure the correct skill mix is in place.

This admission confirms that staffing remains a significant hurdle in getting residents moved into the new home.

Mayor of Killarney, Cllr Martin Grady, expressed his deep concern that the end-of-month deadline will be missed yet again.

“This is extremely disappointing for the people of Killarney and across County Kerry,” Mayor Grady said. “We are in urgent need of additional beds, and this facility is already well behind schedule.”

The delay is also stalling other vital local health projects. The proposed new primary care centre at St Columbanus cannot fully progress until the nursing unit is open and residents have been transferred.

“People are losing confidence,” Mayor Grady said. “We have been given false hope too many times. Our community deserves clarity and deliver, no more broken promises.”

Killarney is in the grip of ‘Oscar fever’ this week as the town rallies behind local star Jessie Buckley ahead of the 98th Academy Awards on March 15.

The Killarney native is considered the runaway frontrunner to take home the prize for Best Actress for her performance as Agnes Shakespeare in the film Hamnet.
The town’s pride was officially voiced at Wednesday’s Killarney Municipal District meeting.
Mayor Martin Grady led the tributes, praising Buckley’s extraordinary run this awards season. He highlighted her recent string of victories, which includes the BAFTA for Best Leading Actres, making her the first Irish woman to ever win the category and her IFTA win for the same role in Dublin last month. Mayor Grady also noted her historic win at the Actor Awards (formerly the SAG Awards) in Los Angeles last Sunday, where she again took top honours for her portrayal of Agnes.
“Hopefully she will bring home the big one,” he said.
Cllr Brendan Cronin and Cllr John O’Donoghue echoed the Mayor’s support.

Photo by: Andres Poveda Photography