The effect of classifying the old hospital building as a 'Derelict Site' would be to impose a penalty on the South Eastern Health Board for allowing the old hospital to remain in its present dangerous condition and to prompt the Health Board into taking some long awaited action.

Speaking on Monday, Sinn Féin Press Officer, David Forde, an employee of Wexford General Hospital, said:

"Despite repeated warnings about the dangerous condition of the old county hospital building and the numerous calls for urgent action to make this building safe, it is clear that the South Eastern Health Board have absolutely no plans to deal with this situation.

"It is unacceptable that the Health Board should continue to bury their head in the sand in this manner. This is an issue of public safety and the Health Board must not be allowed to ignore it any longer.

"Young people continue to gain access and to use this dangerous building as a 'play area'. The Health Board are directly responsible for allowing this building to deteriorate to its present condition and cannot be allowed to avoid that responsibility.

"Sinn Féin are now calling on Wexford County Council to intervene and to list the Old County Hospital building under the 'Derelict Sites Act'. In this regard, Councillor Anthony Kelly has now written to the Development Office of Wexford County Council and has urged their intervention in this matter.

"Listing the building under the Derelict Sites Act would mean that the Health Board would face a penalty amounting to 3% of the market value of the property for every year that they continue to allow it to remain as a dangerous building.

"It is unfortunate that this action should have to be taken, but the continued refusal of the South Eastern Health Board to deal with this important public safety issue cannot be tolerated indefinitely."