Council blocks plans for new private hospital

THE founder of the famous Blackrock Clinic last night suffered a major setback to his proposals to build a multi-million euro private hospital in Cork when it emerged he has been refused planning permission.

The Sheehan Medical Corporation (SMC), which is led by Joseph Sheehan, one of the founders of the Blackrock Clinic and Galway Clinic, and his son James, who is director of the Blackrock Clinic, had applied for permission to build the 90-bed hospital in Bishopstown. Once fully operational, it was expected to employ 400 people.

Their proposal was for a six-storey building, near Dunnes Stores outlet at the Bishopstown roundabout. The company proposed to equip it with three 30-bed wards, 36 consulting suites, and four in-patient operating theatres.

SMC also stated that the hospital, which would be “state-of-the art”, just like the world famous Blackrock Clinic, would feature an oncology unit, laboratories, an urgent care facility and a nine-bed intensive care wards, along with a 450-space car park.

Cork County Council’s planners are understood to have refused permission because the project was too large and out of scale with the area.

A spokesman for SMC claimed last night that the refusal represented a significant setback to health care provision for Cork city and county.

“It’s potentially depriving Cork of what would be the premier medical facility in the country,” the spokesman said.

He said the company was proposing to provide urgently needed services for the region, such as oncology, renal dialysis and diagnostic imaging.

“The complex was to house an intensive care unit and an urgent care facility, four in-patient operating theatres, day surgery facilities, 90 in-patient rooms and 36 consulting suites. Each of these were to be delivered through the most advanced medical practices and modern technology available,” the spokesman said.

“While the Sheehan Medical Corporation is very disappointed with the county council’s refusal, the company remains absolutely convinced of the need, and the support, for a large private healthcare facility which will provide world-class care for the South-West.”

He added that SMC found it “frustrating” that it has been placed in a position whereby it may have to choose to drop key services, such as renal dialysis or medical oncology, in order to scale the facility down to accommodate the council’s stated requirements. “SMC will now take some time to study the content of the planners’ decision in detail and reflect on what the appropriate response might be,” the spokesman said.