Cork University Hospital's long awaited helipad to be operational within a year

It is hoped construction will start this summer and take up to nine months to complete

CUH has been without a helipad since 2003, when the landing pad which was then located in the south-eastern corner of the hospital campus was decommissioned to make way for a new emergency department. Picture: Larry Cummins

A long-awaited helipad could be operational at Cork University Hospital (CUH) within a year.

The Irish Examiner has learned that health chiefs hope construction on the delayed piece of critical infrastructure will start this summer and take up to nine months to complete.