New transport bus gifted to New Ross day care centre

The HSE’s New Haughton Day Care Centre in New Ross, Co. Wexford are delighted with a new, state of the art transport bus presented to them by workers from the Integer plant in the town.

Up to 70 older people from New Ross and its outskirts attend across the five week days of operation at the day centre, which is located in the Healthy Living Centre, next to the New Haughton Hospital on the HSE’s campus at Chambersland in New Ross.

Lake Region Medical first came to New Ross in 1994, beginning its operation with a staff of 15. Acquired by Integer in 2014, its base located at Butlersland Industrial Park now employs approximately 1,200 people. One of the largest medical device contract development and manufacturing organisations in the world, Integer products serve the cardiac rhythm management, neuromodulation, and cardio and vascular markets.

Employees at Integer in New Ross maintain the “Integer Associates Fund”, which is made up of proceeds from a busy programme of fundraising social activities. A number of worthy causes have benefitted from an annual presentation from the New Ross Integer Associates Fund, with Supporting Ovarian Cancer Knowledge (SOCK) the beneficiaries of a €41,000 donation in 2024.

A Christmas draw, a golf classic and the proceeds of a recyclables collection featured among the 2025 fundraising programme at Integer – as did other initiatives ranging from a car park collection to cake sales.

A total of over €64,500 in proceeds went towards the purchase and modification of a 17 seater, state of the art transport van, which formed the centre piece in a handover ceremony at Integer last week. The new bus is specially equipped to accommodate patients with mobility challenges. It features wheelchair access, safety harnesses and climate control, among other upgraded equipment.

At the occasion, Integer welcomed guests including An Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy T.D. Those present for the HSE Dublin and South East/the New Haughton Day Care Centre included Geraldine Sutton (Head of Service/Older Persons, Waterford/Wexford), Margaret Nowlan O’ Neill (Director of Nursing, New Haughton Hospital), Sonia Samson (Asst. Director of Nursing, New Haughton Hospital) and Mary Sweeney (Clinical Nurse Manager, New Haughton Day Care Centre).

Speaking at the Handover the company’s Senior Customer Operations Manager and Chair of the New Ross Integer Associates Fund, Séamus Hamilton said: “Integer is Co. Wexford’s single biggest private sector employer and a feature of working at the base in New Ross is the company’s excellent charity committee. Again this year, our fundraising campaign was hugely successful and had the support of every employee on site.

“Once the New Haughton Day Care Centre was mentioned as a possibility for this year’s beneficiary, we were struck by how many colleagues at Integer passed on such positive experiences to us. It was obvious from references to their own families and friends, that the centre is regarded as an outstanding service for New Ross and its immediate surrounds.”

“We identified a new bus, fitted with a lift, as something that could come out of all this. So, we are delighted to deliver it to the day care centre. I am sure it will be of great help in comfortably transferring to and from the Healthy Living Centre the 15 or so clients that are catered for in the day care centre every week day.

“Supporting the health and wellbeing of our community is part of our mission. We’re honoured to work alongside the day care centre and contribute to something that will make a lasting difference. The bus will ensure patients can travel safely and comfortably to appointments, day services, and community outings. We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together.”

Tanya Gorey, General Manager Older Persons, Waterford/Wexford, HSE, added: “On behalf of the HSE, I would like to extend our sincere thanks to the staff of Integer New Ross for the generous donation of a new bus to the New Ross Day Care Centre. This contribution is more than just transport, it is a gift of independence, connection and community for those who attend the Day Centre. The generosity of the team at Integer demonstrates not only a genuine commitment for the wellbeing of people in our community but also a remarkable example of support and partnership between local enterprise and local services.”