The provision of health centres, and any matters relating to such provision within its functional area, is a matter for the relevant health board or the Eastern Regional Health Authority.
I have been advised by the South Eastern Health Board that the difficulties now being experienced at the health centre at Johnstown, Kilkenny have arisen as a result of road re-alignments which were carried out by Kilkenny County Council. The South Eastern Health Board has made contact with Kilkenny County Council to express the concerns raised to the board and to clarify whether any measures may be taken by the council to alleviate matters. The council has been advised that the difficulties now being experienced have arisen only since the road works were undertaken. The board has indicated that Kilkenny County Council has confirmed to it that the parking bays provided by it outside the health centre are fully compliant with all current national design standards and are in line with parallel parking bays throughout the country. The county council has also confirmed that while the road has been narrowed, this was done to provide footpaths-cycle ways and to reduce the speed of traffic, which according to Kilkenny County Council has been achieved and should result in improved overall safety.
The health board has further advised me that, as the health centre is only in use for eight to ten hours per week for public services, it would be uneconomical to re-locate the health centre and that significant issues associated with this question are related to road safety which is a matter for Kilkenny County Council.
