THE HSE is to lease a space from Shaws in Athy for a Primary Care Centre in the town.
Work to establish a Primary Care Centre in Athy is to proceed in 2017 following confirmation by the HSE that it is to lease space from Shaws for the facility.
The HSE confirmed to local councillors that they will lease a “significant space” in the Shaws building for the centre, which is aimed at improviding the provision of primary health care in the town.
The proposal for a primary care facility formed part of a 2007 planning application by Shaw and Sons Limited for a new three storey 7149 square metre, 15.3 metre high development at Duke Street in Athy, which would include a new retail shop (Shaws Department Store), individual retail units, office space and storage.
This planning application was granted by Kildare County Council in 2008 and an extension to that planning application was granted in 2013.
Shaws still have not received formal acceptance of their proposal from their HSE.
Shaws Group Human Resources Manager Tom O’Brien confirmed that they had submitted a proposal for the development of a primary care centre on the site of our store in Athy but had not received formal acceptance of the proposal from the HSE and so were not in a position to comment further at this point in time.”
Local councillor Mark Wall confirmation of the new primary care facility was excellent news.
“This is a great news story and it is one that I have been working on for a long period of time along with other councillors. The announcement that the facility is to be located at the Shaws site shows that Athy has great potential and I am delighted that in 2017 and beyond we will see the development of a primary care centre which will meet the primary care needs of the local community in the years to come,” he said.
“When you look at this proposed development in conjunction with movement during 2016 on projects such as the Emily Square redevelopment, the Edmond Rice Square redevelopment, proposed work at Meeting Lane and its car park, progress on the Athy Relief Road and the plans for the Dominican site, it shows that Athy is a town where things are happening and great change is planned in the future.”
Local councillor Thomas Redmond also welcomed the announcement. “Month after month I have been making representations to the HSE for a primary health centre in Athy and finally tonight (Wednesday 21 December) they confirmed with me that this is a reality at the Shaws site in Athy. This will be a fantastic addition to services in our town and will make health care more accessible,” he said.
