HSE approves 'record' €1.33bn capital budget including €104m for Cork projects
The projects signed off by the HSE for Cork include work at CUH, Bantry Hospital, Cork University Dental School, Blarney neurorehabilitation unit, and Midleton ambulance station. File picture: iStock
Almost €104m has been approved under the HSE capital plan for healthcare projects in Cork as part of a “record” spend on the building and equipping of facilities this year.
Overall, the HSE capital plan sees €1.33bn allocated to building projects in 2025.
It was approved by health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill on Wednesday who described the sum as “a record” spend.
Plans to build surgical hubs nationally were first announced in December 2022 with an 18-month turnaround time predicted. However so far only one of the six has opened.
This year €173.29m has been allocated to continue this work including on the Cork University Hospital (CUH) site. Waterford and Limerick will see progress on hubs in these areas.
However, the plan only refers to “complete construction” for the north Dublin site.
Some €210m is allocated for the ongoing works at the new children's hospital in Dublin.
The plan includes the family accommodation unit.
The Cork funding comes to €103.8m and includes a replacement ambulance station in Midleton.
The Cork University Dental School had been expected to relocate to a new site under previous plans. However this document refers to “refurbishment” of the existing school which shares a campus with CUH.
Elsewhere, Bantry hospital receives €1.15m for expansion a 12-bed stroke rehabilitation unit.
Fine Gael TD Colm Burke welcomed the plans particularly the €7.5m going to Mallow to expand the hospital there and build a new ambulance base among other improvements.
He also highlighted €4m going to Blarney for a new neurorehabilitation unit. This site had been previously earmarked for a new nursing home.
Healthcare in Co Kerry will receive €8.61m through the HSE capital plan, with the bulk of this going to University Hospital Kerry.
The plans include a new site for the women’s health team, a new obstetrics operating theatre, expansion of the high dependency unit and an extension to the cancer care unit.
Patients in Limerick will benefit from €107.5m in spending, with the bulk of this going on works at University Hospital Limerick.
This includes money for continued building of new wards to address overcrowding.
These new units include a 16-bed inpatient ward unit, phase one of a new hospital block including basement car parking and shell space at level 0 and level 1.
Funding of €10.6m is also allocated for a new ward block — 4x24 beds — to go over the existing emergency department.
Co Clare will receive €6.03m in all.
The largest single allocation is €2.65m for building a residential addiction treatment facility to replace the existing facilities at the Bushy Park centre in Ennis.
Other funds include €1m for upgrades to St Senan’s nursing home in Kilrush and €640,000 for expansion at Ennis hospital.
Tipperary North will receive €1.9m including €950,000 for expanding services at Nenagh hospital.
The new 50-bed unit replacing St Conlon’s nursing home is set to receive €750,000 following its controversial temporary re-purposing as a step-down unit linked to UHL.
In Tipperary South, patients will see benefits from money from €3.58 including funding for a new ambulance base at Clonmel.
Tipperary University Hospital, also in Clonmel, will receive €330,000 to expand the emergency department and open a new ward block.
Waterford is set to receive €45m including €40.8m for works at University Hospital Waterford.
The hospital money includes €37m for the surgical hub which will have two operating theatres and other supports.
The Cabinet also separately approved €611,000 in funding as part of plans to expand the cardiac service at UHW to a 24/7 service.
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