The South Eastern Health Board (SEHB) has confirmed it has identified 457 acres of land that it proposes to sell over the next six to 12 months.
South Eastern Health Board
However, the board insisted it had not received any notification from the Department of Health that the lands, including some at several hospitals in the region, are to be sold and that it must first give the Minister for Health a list of the lands for his approval.
The Irish Times reported yesterday that lands from 14 psychiatric institutions are to be sold to raise funds for the mental health sector.
Other lands available for sale are understood to include 30 acres at Newcastle Hospital, Greystones, Co Wicklow; 20 acres at St Joseph's Psychiatric Hospital, Limerick; and a significant bank of land at St Ita's, Portrane, in north Dublin.
The 34-acre Central Mental Hospital site in Dundrum is expected to be the first site to be sold. It is expected to raise around €70 million.
In a statement today, the SEHB said: "In January of this year, the board identified a number of plots of lands, which are deemed to be surplus to our requirements for the provision of healthcare facilities, both now and for the foreseeable future.
"This information was circulated to regional media in the board papers and was discussed in length at the board meeting.
"In all, 457 acres of surplus land were identified. These lands include sites in urban areas in St John's Enniscorthy, St Otteran's Hospital, Waterford; St Canice's Hospital, Kilkenny; Kelvin Grove, Carlow; and St Luke's Hospital, Clonmel, with further non-urban sites in St Senan's Hospital, Enniscorthy; Heywood Farm, Clonmel; Knockmarshal Cross, Enniscorthy [and] Red Pat's Cross, Enniscorthy."
The board agreed in principal in January with the disposal of all of this property. However, the functions of the State's health boards were transferred to their chief executives after their abolition in June.
The legislation abolishing the boards also put in place a requirement that the Minister for Health would grant consent to all purchases and disposals of lands, the SEHB said.
"The SEHB is currently finalising a list of potential disposals, which could occur over the next six to twelve months, and this list will be submitted for the approval of the Minister.
"The SEHB has not received any notification from the Department of Health that any land is being sold prior to the information being gathered and forwarded to the Department of Health," the department said.