Crooksling earmarked for refugee housing
A FORMER nursing home in Crooksling, Brittas, has been earmarked for having the potential to house refugees in response to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
According to Reuters, at least 17 million people have fled their homes since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine started in February last.
The Government of Ireland entered into a two-year lease with Citywest Hotel in June to accommodate refugees, with the convention centre on site used as a central processing and transit hub.
It is understood that Citywest is accommodating more than 1,000 people and is at full capacity, with the Government now forced to seek an alternative transit hub in the Dublin region.
Separately, at the Dublin Mid-Leinster Regional Health Forum on July 19, it was revealed that the Health Service Executive (HSE) had made the availability of the former St Brigid’s Nursing Nursing Home known.
The Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government and Heritage has been notified that the former nursing home is “a vacant property which they may wish to consider in response to the Humanitarian crisis”.
“OPW, acting on behalf of the Department of Housing have been in touch with HSE Capital & Estates indicating their intention to inspect the site,” Mary O’Kelly, Chief Officer of HSE Dublin South, Kildare and West Wicklow Community Healthcare said.
“HSE Capital & Estates await the confirmation of a suitable date for inspection.
“The Minister’s Office has asked us to keep him informed.”
St Brigid’s closed in March 2020, with the majority of the residents transferred to the new Tymon North Community Nursing Home in Tallaght.
Following the closure of the facility, the HSE wrote to multiple agencies advising them of the availability of the site in April 2021.
In July of last year, Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly TD, put a stay on the sale of the lands. Cllr Charlie O’Connor says they have been waiting with “bated breath” to find out what was happening with the site as it is “very valuable”.
“So I put this question forward to see what was happening and what the intentions were,” Cllr O’Connor, who is a member of the Dublin Mid-Leinster Regional Health Forum, told The Echo.
“We received a totally different answer than what was expected.
“We found that there is an intention there to facilitate the Ukrainian refugees at the site.
“It’s a bit sensitive because we are hearing through the media about the pressure that is on.
“In their answer, the HSE stated that they intend to inspect the site to see if it is suitable.
“We don’t know what state the facility is in and it is going to have to be examined before anything is done.”
