Councillor Avril Cronin Calls For Former Donard Health Centre To Be Maintained As Community Hub

Cathaoirleach of Baltinglass Municipal District, Cllr Avril Cronin has recommended the local council take over the former Health Centre in Donard to maintain community use

A local councillor has highlighted the need for adequate facilities to keep families in rural Wicklow.

Fine Gael Councillor Avril Cronin says community groups in Donard are interested in keeping the former Health Centre for community use.

She has raised the matter at recent County Council meetings with councillors agreeing to explore the option.

Cllr Cronin believes it would enhance village life and revitalise the derelict building:

''We have tried to get the health centre back in use as a clinic and to get doctors back into the community, but unfortunately in recent months we've heard from the HSE that they won't be reopening the health centre as an actual health centre. So the building is there, it's been vacant since before COVID and now while it's a huge loss to the doctor, it's an opportunity now for the community to have that building in the centre of their village in the community for community use.''

She has highlighted how she has broached the issue thus far:

''So last week I met with members of the community in Donard Glen who all expressed their united interest in keeping that building within the community for their own use and so I made a recommendation at the September meeting of Wicklow County Council and I raised it again this week to see if the council would explore the possibility of acquiring the building in order to keep it i the community for community use.''

Councillor Cronin says there is great local buy-in to the plan after she recently met local groups:

''T'was actually a great representation from every community organisation so at the moment in Dunard the Dunard Community Enterprises they run the community hall as it is and within that group then they represent a number of local community groups so I had members of the ICA, I had members of the GAA, I had people from the Bold Club, I had a number of people in that room that all expressed their interest.''

She added that is precedent for such a move after similar other efforts in different parts of Wicklow:

''Well, in recent months they've acquired a building in Stratford and the community are renting that back off the council and that's been put to community use so I would hope that the building is successful and if the council were successful in acquiring it that it will be put to use within the community. As I said it's ideally located in the centre of the village of Donard. It's a small village but it has huge surrounding areas of Donard and so it certainly would be put to great use and it definitely will be a huge asset to have within the community.''