It seems, at long last, the Land Development Agency will take an interest in St Finan’s Hospital with a view to sing the site for housing development.

A recent online meeting took place between the Minister for Housing, Darragh O Brien Kerry County Council Management, and elected representatives last week.
The meeting was to discuss the potential of using Health and Safety Executive lands for social housing in Killarney.
Cllr Brendan Cronin pushed for HSE-owned land to be used for the construction of social housing. For years he has been calling on the unused St Finan’s site to be used for such purposes.

He attended last week’s meeting.

“I again highlighted the urgent need for the Land Development Agency to step in and examine the construction potential of all HSE and public lands in Killarney, particularly St Finians Lands and building,” he told the Killarney Advertiser.

“The fact that this meeting has taken place last week is a major step forward. My information is that following the meeting with the council management, the LDA will now proceed to make their assessment, evaluation and decisions on available public lands including the St Finans property. I want to reiterate my appeal to the LDA and Minister for Housing, that Killarney Municipal District and its people have been forgotten about nationally for the provision of any kind of affordable housing.

"We are in a situation where working people can't access a mortgage and cannot access affordable housing or affordable sites to build their own homes. There is a major onus of responsibility on the LDA to deliver now for Killarney families, we cannot be ignored and left behind any longer.”