Primary care centre planned for Baggot Street hospital despite calls to turn vacant building into refugee accommodation

There have long been calls to use the vacant building to accommodate Ukrainian refugees but Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has now said part of the site will be used for a primary care centre.

Money has been allocated to carry out a feasibility study this year and a needs assessment is currently being carried out, Mr Donnelly’s private secretary Fiona Conroy told councillors in Dublin City Council.

“A portion of the former Baggot Street Hospital site has been identified as a suitable location for the future development of a primary care centre to serve the South Dublin Inner City area,” wrote Ms Conroy last month.

“Funding for design feasibility of the future primary care centre on the site has been included in the Health Service Executive’s 2023 Capital Programme and has been granted a Capital Allocation in 2023.

“Community Healthcare East is currently undertaking a needs assessment to inform decision-making regarding the remaining portion of building or site.”

However, since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the local community has pushed for refugees to be housed there.

A developer even said they would refurbish the building for free if migrants are to be accommodated.

Ms Conroy said the HSE identified 300 properties across the country last year which could be “potentially suitable” for housing refugees. “Specifically, some 230 sites and vacant premises owned by the HSE and under consideration for disposal, together with some 70 properties surplus to health needs and in disposal, were identified.

“I can confirm that Baggot Street Hospital was included in this list,” she said.

This list was then passed on to the Department of Housing, Department of Integration, Department of Taoiseach, local councils and the LDA.

“I would like to confirm that both the Department of Health and the HSE will continue to contribute to the all-of-Government approach to the Ukrainian response and Housing for All,” Ms Conroy wrote.

Labour Councillor Dermot Lacey said he would “hugely welcome” a primary care centre in Baggot Street but said it is a “lasting shame” the HSE has let it lie idle.

Mr Lacey had previously said it was “quite shameful” that the hospital had been empty for long and urged the HSE to make it available for Ukrainian refugees.

“I would hugely welcome a PCC in Baggot Street but given the lethargy of HSE in delivering it, it would be far better to use it now for housing,” he said.

“On every issue I have engaged in with the HSE it has proven itself incapable and incompetent.

“Time for Sláintecare and some democratic control.”