1,000 jobs in two health projects

LIMERICK got a massive jobs boost yesterday with the go-ahead for two major health projects that will create up to 1,000 full and part-time jobs.

Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe announced that the new graduate medical school building in the University of Limerick (UL) was among the projects that would start construction this year as part of the Government’s €200 million building plan for the higher education sector.

And Beacon Medical Group said it was pressing ahead with a 183-bed private hospital costing €250m on the grounds of the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, after final planning had been given the go-ahead by An Bord Pleanála.

Mr O’Keeffe said: “Building work is expected to get under way shortly on the new multimillion-euro, 4,000sq m project. The new medical school, which will accommodate up to 288 graduate students, will have dedicated laboratories, facilities and equipment located in the university’s “health education village” where physical resources can be shared.

“UL is now tendering for a contractor to build the project and construction is expected to be finished by the end of next year. It’s expected that the project will generate about 150 construction jobs.”

The medical school, which last year attracted 50 full-time graduate students for the four-year programme, will target innovative learning and provide space and courses for general practitioner training.

The school is expected to offer new postgraduate research programmes.

Meanwhile, the Beacon group said up to 620 construction workers would be employed on its hospital development in Dooradoyle, which is due to be completed by 2012.