THE Health Service Executive is moving ahead with plans for a new primary care centre in Bantry – but it will be three more years before the people of the town see the service up and running.

An update was provided at the first ever meeting of the Regional Health Forum (RHF) South West last week which elected Beara Cllr Finbarr Harrington as its chair.

The Bantry primary care centre issue was raised by Cllr John Sheehan.

It had suffered a number of setbacks including an appeal of the planning decision which was overturned, and a subsequent challenge to this in the High Court which An Coimisiún Pleanála decided not to defend, meaning the initial planning was null and void.

At the forum’s inaugural meeting on October 2nd members were told: ‘The HSE capital and estates office wishes to confirm that a new two-stage tender process, issued via the eTenders platform, has now been completed. It is currently anticipated that the facility will be handed over in Quarter 4 2028.’

Previously West Cork was served by the RHF South but a restructured system resulted in the establishment of a new South West forum, comprised of representatives from the city and county councils in the area.

The changes align with the regionalisation of the HSE into six areas. The South West forum members are from Cork County Council, Kerry County Council and Cork City Council.

After his election as chair Cllr Harrington said: ‘I am very grateful to the members of the forum for the opportunity to serve as its chair for the year ahead.

‘The Regional Health Forum is an important body which allows local authority members to put forward motions and questions to senior HSE officials in the region.

‘This empowers us as local representatives to voice the concerns of our communities as well as the insights and suggestions we believe could add to the delivery and development of health services in Cork and Kerry.’

Other West Cork members of the RHF South West include Cllr Ann Bambury (SD), Cllr Danny Collins (Ind Ire), Cllr Caroline Cronin (FG).

Cllr Harrington has been vocal on health issues and services for the region for a number of years.

In March he told the Regional Health Forum South that locums were mistakenly sending West Cork patients to CUH because they were unaware of the wide range of services available at Bantry Hospital.

He said: ‘We have a fantastic hospital in Bantry and we fail to get that message out there sometimes. People are being referred to CUH which is leading to higher waiting times and backlogs in A&E.

‘Bantry General is vital to the peninsulas of West Cork, but also to many parts of south Kerry, who come across the county boundaries to use the services.’