Health board fears Martin reforms

A HEALTH board, which over-spent by €1.3 million in the first three months of this year, fears it could lose its headquarters and critical hospital services as part of nationwide health service reform.

Health Minister Mícheál Martin will be in Kilkenny tomorrow for a meeting with representatives of the South Eastern Health Board (SEHB). The afternoon session is part of his nationwide bid to sell his controversial health service reform to health board members, politicians and the public.

It is feared the SEHB headquarters on the Dublin Road may be lost in the shake-up which is also set to impact on its 250 employees. The board has had ongoing financial concerns, and continues to be in the red, despite postponing filling numerous health posts and delaying other developments.