There are claims that the HSE is providing no answers as to why the new Killarney Community Nursing Unit still hasn’t opened.
Labour councillor Marie Moloney was responding to a joint investigation by Radio Kerry and the Irish Examiner regarding the lack of occupancy in new nursing homes nationwide.
This joint investigation by Radio Kerry and the Irish Examiner revealed that there are no residents occupying new nursing homes built under a €250m public-private partnership.
Killarney Community Nursing Unit is one of the seven nursing homes nationwide which were built by a joint-venture company comprising John Sisk & Sons and Equitix, which will maintain the sites for 25 years.
Work on the 130-bed unit started in 2022, and the community nursing unit was originally due to open earlier this year with patients due to be transferred from St Columbanus and the Killarney District Hospital.
Last month, the HSE said residents will be transferred to the new Killarney Community Nursing Unit next year.
Radio Kerry contacted both companies regarding the delayed opening, and there was no comment from Equitix, while John Sisk & Sons stated it was not commenting for now.
Cllr Marie Moloney says the public have a right to know what’s causing the delay:
