Kerry council managers refuse to delist St Finan's so it can be used for housing

The council meeting was told no land is available for house building because Killarney is surrounded by the Killarney National Park and a golf course

Removing the protected status of the huge idle Victorian building on a strategic site overlooking Killarney would allow the building to be converted more easily into apartments and the surrounding 20 or so acres of land to be used, the April meeting of the council was told. Picture: Eamonn Keogh

Council management in Kerry have rejected a move to remove the protected status from St Finan’s former psychiatric hospital in Killarney to facilitate new homes.

Killarney has a severe shortage of housing land and large waiting lists for social and affordable homes. Currently there is no emergency accommodation for local families facing eviction.

Removing the protected status of the huge idle Victorian building on a strategic site overlooking Killarney would allow the building to be converted more easily into apartments and the surrounding 20 or so acres of land to be used, the April meeting of the council was told. A motion to delist received strong support from local councillors.

However, the removal of the building from legislation to protect its architecture could not be "conscientiously considered", said Paul Neary, acting director of planning, in a report rejecting the move at the meeting on Monday.

Built at the end of the Famine, St Finan’s was "an outstanding example of the Gothic Revival style". It had been designed by Woodward and Deane architects who also designed Queen’s College, UCC, the Kildare Street Club, the Museum at Trinity College and the University Museum at Oxford.

It is of national importance and enjoys Council of Europe protection under the Granada Convention, he said. It is also of social significance demonstrating the beginnings of institutional care for those in need. Internal works could be carried out to the layout, Mr Neary said.

The Land Development agency is looking at it, but the estimates to refurbish the building are "a conservative €100 million", the meeting was told.

'Financially toxic'

Independent Killarney Councillor Brendan Cronin, who moved the motion to consider removing the building’s protected status, said St Finan's had remained idle since 2012 and the HSE-owned building is "financially toxic".

"The building is stuck with this preservation order. HSE will only sell the (surrounding) land with the building. In 20 year's time we are going to be left with a monstrous decaying building overlooking the town," Mr Cronin said on receipt of the report.

He pointed out that 1,500 people are on the approved social housing list in the Killarney Municipal District; no land is available for house building because Killarney is surrounded by the Killarney National Park and a golf course. He also referred to its difficult history saying at one stage 1,100 people had been confined in the building.

Only Sinn Féin councillor, Cathal Foley, had objected to the delisting move on the grounds of the building’s historical significance. In a separate statement recently, the HSE said it has arranged for a current valuation of St Finan’s Hospital site by the State Claims Agency and this is awaited.