‘Substandard’ Laois health centres stuck in the 1980s 

Stepping into “substandard” health centres in Graiguecullen, Ballylinan and The Swan was likened to travelling back to the 1980s. 

“It is like stepping back in time when you go into these,” Independent Cllr Aisling Moran said during a recent meeting. 

She tabled a motion asking:  “That Laois County Council request a breakdown of monies spent by the HSE on the health centres in Ballylinan, Graiguecullen and The Swan. As these health centres need to be modernised as soon as possible and brought up to current standards. They appear the same as they were in the 1980's”.

Cllr Moran said “we are really disadvantaged” and she pointed out that Graiguecullen has a large population. She said she cannot understand why the facilities are not being modernised. 

“I don’t know is it the same person who is involved in it since the 1980s,” she remarked. 

Cllr Moran said the council needed an answer to the motion and she criticised what she said were “substandard health centres and not enough staff in them as well".

“I would like to know the reason they are not spending money on them,” said Cllr Moran. 

Independent Cllr Ben Brennan agreed and said it was “like stepping back in time when you look at the state of them”. He said there was one in Crettyard that was “boarded up” and in a shocking state at the back of a house. “They all should be brightened up and cleaned up,” he said. 

Cllr Brennan said people were being sent to Portlaoise when they could be treated in their own local area. “It is an absolute scandal,” said Cllr Brennan. 

Independent Cllr Aidan Mullins told Cllr Brennan there was a similar situation with a former health centre lying empty in Portarlington. He said he had requested the building be acquired by the community but the building remains empty.  

Cllr Moran wanted to know who was responsible for making decisions on the buildings. She called for a breakdown of “how much money is being spent in each of the health centres” and said the spending appeared to be discriminatory.  

In response, Municipal District Administrator Therese Kelly stated that: “Therese to issue correspondence to the HSE post MD Meeting”.

The issue was discussed at the November meeting of Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District.