A Mullingar councillor believes the consideration of housing Ukrainian refugees at the campus of St. Loman's Hospital could be a catalyst for its future use.
The former Psychiatric Hospital was vacated in 2013 when the last remaining services were transferred to a new site.
The HSE say the building is not currently suitable for providing medical care, however discussions are under way with the local authority to use the site as accommodation for Ukrainian refugees.
Speaking to Shannonside FM Councillor Hazel Smyth says the idea should be supported as a way of getting the building back into use.
' If there is funding available through the EU or through different mechanism beyond the HSE and then I think let's go for it as something is better than nothing in this case. I don't think that if it could be a home for people and I understand that the government is under serious pressure at the moment to provide accommodation to those fleeing those in Ukraine if this could be suitable accommodation for these.'
