Health Board will charge council ‘top market rate’ for land

A CASH-STRAPPED council has been warned not to expect land for free — or even at a reasonable price — from the Southern Health Board.

The escalating cost of land in Killarney is making it almost impossible for the local town council and Kerry County Council to compete with developers on the open market.

The councils are now seeking land from the SHB. Councillor Tom Fleming, who is also an SHB member, said they needed extra land at St Finan’s Hospital, Killarney, for housing. The board is expected to put the hospital and adjoining lands up for sale shortly.

However, Cllr Fleming said now was an opportune time to approach the board, adding that it also had a role to play in providing accommodation.

But Cllr Brian O’Leary, who is also an auctioneer, stressed that the SHB was a landowner like any other, and would be expecting the top market rate for its property.

“Recently, the SHB sold eight acres in Killarney for €3.5m. We have purchased land from them in the past and paid the rate for it. You won’t get preferential treatment from the SHB, which should be viewed the same as any other landowner,” he said.

Cllr O’Leary proposed that the county council purchase land in rural areas in order to ease the pressure for housing in towns such as Killarney.

He was told by housing executive Charlie O’Sullivan that the council had been trying to acquire serviceable sites in such areas, but these lands were unsuitable, being sometimes in remote areas without any services.

He also said some ‘astronomical’ prices were being sought.

Deputy Breeda Moynihan-Cronin said the SHB was paying a fortune in rent subsidies and could actually save money by providing land for housing.

Chairman Cllr Brendan Cronin warned that big speculators were already hovering, in the hope that St Finan’s Hospital and lands would be put on the market.