HSE to Close Baggot Street Hospital Sale – ‘Deeply Disappointing’

The Irish Health Service Executive (HSE) is poised to finalize the sale of the main building of Baggot Street Hospital in Dublin, a move described as “deeply disappointing” by some observers, despite plans to retain the site for a new primary care centre. The decision, announced on October 3, 2025, marks the latest step in the long-term repurposing of the historic hospital grounds.

The main hospital building, officially known as the Royal City of Dublin Hospital, has been vacant since 1987, when operations were transferred to St. James’s Hospital. Prior to its closure, it had functioned as a treatment facility for addiction issues until 2019, when it was shuttered due to its deteriorating condition. The sale proceeds will facilitate the redevelopment of the site, though the specifics of the financial terms have not been disclosed.

The HSE intends to retain the portion of the site fronting Haddington Road to construct a new Primary Care Centre. This centre aims to consolidate a range of community-based health and social care services, including general practitioner (GP) services, nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and social work support. Planning permission for the Primary Care Centre has already been applied for, but the project’s progression is contingent on a successful outcome of the planning process.

The decision to sell part of the property was made after the HSE determined that the main building was surplus to its requirements and that no other state agencies expressed interest in acquiring the premises. Brian O’Connell, National Director, Head of Strategic Health Infrastructure and Capital Delivery at the HSE, stated that the sale would allow for the redevelopment of buildings “not conductive to modern healthcare provision.”

The history of the Baggot Street Hospital site is deeply intertwined with the complex and often troubling history of mother and baby homes in Ireland. The Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation, established in February 2015 and dissolved on February 28, 2021, was headquartered at 73 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2. The Commission investigated practices at mother and baby homes throughout the 20th century, institutions largely run by Catholic religious orders, where unmarried women were sent to give birth. Its work was prompted by concerns over the potential for unmarked graves, notably at the Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, County Galway, where up to 800 bodies were believed to be interred.

The Commission’s remit extended to the investigation of records and practices at thirteen mother and baby homes in addition to the Tuam facility. The investigation uncovered widespread issues of mistreatment, neglect, and high mortality rates within these institutions. While the sale of the Baggot Street Hospital building itself is not directly linked to the Commission’s findings, the location’s association with this sensitive period in Irish history adds a layer of complexity to the transaction.

The planned sale has drawn criticism, with some expressing concern over the loss of a historically significant building. The building’s age and condition were cited as factors contributing to the decision to sell, as modernizing the structure would require substantial investment. The HSE maintains that the sale is a necessary step to improve healthcare access in the area through the development of the new Primary Care Centre.

The HSE’s broader strategy involves disposing of surplus assets to fund improvements in healthcare infrastructure. This sale is presented as an example of that objective in action. The financial implications of the sale, including the expected revenue and the cost of the Primary Care Centre development, remain to be fully detailed. The agency has not yet indicated the identity of the purchaser, though reports suggest a hotelier is involved.

The decision to proceed with the sale, even after initially informing the Land Development Agency (LDA) only this week, underscores the HSE’s commitment to the project. The LDA was only recently notified of the plans, despite the building already being offered for sale. This timing has raised questions about transparency and the potential for alternative uses of the site, such as social housing.

The development of the Primary Care Centre is part of a wider HSE initiative to strengthen community healthcare services and ensure that patients can receive care closer to home. The success of this initiative will depend on securing planning permission and effectively integrating the new centre into the existing healthcare network. The sale of the Baggot Street Hospital building represents a significant step in this process, but also a potentially controversial one given the site’s historical context and the concerns raised by various stakeholders.