The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Planning granted for Liam’s Lodge
AN Bord Pleanala has given the green light to plans for a new respite centre in Blennerville for children suffering rare illnesses and genetic disorders.
Earlier this year Kerry County Council granted permission for the construction of the ‘Liam’s Lodge’ centre.
This was subsequently appealed by St Pats GAA Club, which voiced serious concerns about the potential for flooding on their neighbouring site if the development went ahead as proposed.
An Bord Pleanala have now ruled against St Pats and upheld the council’s decision.
The planned centre, on a 13-hectare site just off the Tralee Dingle road, will include 22 residential family lodges; therapy and sensory rooms and five physiotherapy suites.
It’s anticipated that the centre could cater for over 1,000 families a year.
Development of the facility – which would be the first of its kind in Ireland – is being led by the Saoirse Foundation whose founders Tony and Mary Heffernan lost both their children, Liam and Saoirse, to the rare condition Battens disease.
The Saoirse Foundation say the respite centre will cost over €14m to build and fit out and will create an estimated 117 jobs locally when it opens. The foundation is hopeful that it could be up and running by 2021.
“We are thrilled that planning permission for Liam’s Lodge has finally been granted. We are really eager now to get this facility up and running as quickly as we can because we know just much a facility like this is needed,” said Tony Heffernan.
Mary Heffernan echoed her husband’s sentiments.
“Tony and I lost both our children Saoirse and Liam to Battens disease when they were just five years old,” she said.
We understand only too well how families caring for seriously ill children could do with a place to go to recharge their batteries and allow their whole family time to relax and be looked after by people who understand their situation and needs. That’s what Liam’s Lodge will be. We’re now going to go full throttle at fundraising to get this facility up and running as quickly as we can,” said Mary.