Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

One senior member of the HSE staff agreed with this at a meeting. I do not want to pin down anyone but this person agreed regarding the benefits of having a community care hub on this site such as services, including ancillary services, being provided on the site, medical people being there and professionals such as chiropodists being able to come in and provide services to hospital residents and people in the day care centre. Here is a site that is perfect as both a community care hub and a nursing unit.

I welcome the fact that renovations have taken place and look forward to the new beds being opened; the sooner the better. They are badly needed for step-down care. We all know the reason they are needed in Abbeyleix. It is so people can leave the hospitals in Portlaoise and Tullamore. I welcome the confirmation that the day care centre will remain on the Abbeyleix site. This is one of the best pieces of news I have heard in a while.