St Loman's Hospital ruled out for refugee accommodation

St Loman’s Hospital in Mullingar is no longer being considered as a site to house refugees, according to the HSE.

The former psychiatric institution, which closed in 2013, had previously been probed by Westmeath County Council as a site to accommodate Ukrainians fleeing war.

In a statement released in April of last year, the HSE said that due to the “age and condition” of the building, it is “not readily compatible for the provision of modern healthcare services”.

“Westmeath County Council have recently engaged with the HSE around the potential use of part of St Loman’s, Mullingar to provide accommodation the Ukrainian humanitarian crisis,” they said.

The HSE informed the Westmeath Examiner this week that the council’s interest in St Loman’s for humanitarian accommodation has now ended.

“Westmeath County Council have reverted to the HSE and advised that they are no longer considering the St Brigid’s building on the St Loman’s campus as a viable option for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection use under the Emergency Refurbishment (Ukraine) Programme,” the HSE said.

“Following this recent confirmation from WCC, the HSE will now consider the next steps in terms of the future of both buildings.”

The St Brigid’s building on the campus has remained in good condition over the years and is kept heated to prevent mould build-up.

It was officially opened in 1939 and contains single rooms and dormitories that were once used to house patients.

There are now more than 1,500 Ukrainian refugees and some 800 asylum seekers living in state-provided or funded accommodation in Westmeath.

Some 30,000 asylum seekers and around 100,000 Ukrainians are being accommodated by the state nationally.