A New Ross councillor has voiced strong frustration over what he describes as a two-decade delay in delivering a Primary Care Centre (PCC) for the town.
Independent Councillor Michael Sheehan made the comments following the recent submission of a planning application to Kilkenny County Council for a new Primary Care Centre in the neighbouring town of Graiguenamanagh. While other towns in the region continue to make progress, New Ross remains without a concrete plan. In the past, the Health Service Executive (HSE) had identified a potential site for a Primary Care Centre in New Ross. However, the site was later deemed unsuitable, and the process for securing a new location and restarting planning has yet to advance meaningfully. Speaking to South East RadioNews, Councillor Sheehan expressed disbelief that, after 20 years, New Ross has still not moved forward with a planning application for such an essential facility. “I’ve made contact with the Chief Executive of the HSE and the Minister for Health to request a face-to-face meeting,” he said. “I don’t understand how, after two decades, New Ross is still nowhere near getting a Primary Care Centre.” He contrasted New Ross’s situation with nearby towns that have successfully secured such services. “Ferrybank has one, Goresbridge has one, Graiguenamanagh is getting one, and yet New Ross is still waiting. All we get are excuses—it’s simply not good enough. This is a service our town has needed for 20 years,” he added. Councillor Sheehan is now calling for an urgent meeting with senior health officials and the Minister for Health to clarify the ongoing delays and demand progress. “I want to meet the Minister and meet the HSE face-to-face to find out what exactly is going on.” The issue has reignited long-standing concerns in New Ross over access to primary healthcare and regional fairness in the rollout of key public services.
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