Petition to retain health centre in Cork

A Cork councillor has started a petition calling for the retention of a public health centre that has been earmarked for closure, a move she said will force patients to take three connecting buses to reach their new centre.

The HSE intends to close the centre in Passage West and to transfer all services to the new primary care centre in Carrigaline.

Ballincollig-Carrigaline councillor Marcia D’Alton said the move means that those in Passage West who depend on public transport will have to get connecting buses to Carrigaline — which is about 10km away if driving directly on the main road — at an accumulated cost of €11 for a single person on a one-way trip.