The town council in Killarney, Co Kerry, has decided to seek "the return" of a landmark neo-Gothic psychiatric building from the Health Service Executive (HSE).
The historic St Finan's limestone building was designed by the distinguished 19th-century architect James Franklin Fuller, whose buildings include Ashford Castle in Cong, Co Mayo, and the Parknasilla Great Southern Hotel in Sneem, Co Kerry.
St Finan's overlooks the town, its lakes, mountains and national park. As it nears the end of its use as a hospital, the HSE has plans to find alternative accommodation for the 60 or so patients and sell the building and much of the surrounding lands.
However, Independent South Kerry Alliance councillor Michael Gleeson said the building was the property of Kerry County Council under the 1977 Health Act establishing the health boards and transferring property to them.
The town council needed a town hall and other facilities, he said. "There are very few buildings as magnificently situated as St Finan's . . . This town does not need another large hotel."
Mr Gleeson moved a motion to request the return of the building to Kerry local authorities when it was no longer required for psychiatric purposes.
Fáilte Ireland director Patrick O'Donoghue, a member of the town council, supported the idea it would make an ideal third-level catering college.
The HSE is under pressure to allow some of its large land bank be used for rugby and other community requirements.
All political parties have been lobbied to have the land bank retained for community use rather than sold to property developers.