'Disappointing' that new children’s units at CUH will not open until 2029, with building due to start next year

The Children's Treatment unit in the Emergency Department at CUH: The unit gets about 25,000 presentations a year. Picture: Dan Linehan

Builders will only start work on new children’s units at Cork University Hospital early next year, HSE South-West has said, meaning it will be at least 2029 before it is finished.

Planning permission for the six-storey extension was granted in 2022. Healthcare staff and families expected work to begin shortly afterwards.

The regional centre takes young patients from across Munster as well as locally.

Frustration has been growing at delays in starting the works, which include five floors for treatment and one for a plant room.

A HSE spokeswoman said: “We aim to have a contractor on site in Q1 2027, with a 48-month construction programme planned.”

However this timeline is “subject to change as the project progresses”, she added.

Tender documents are only due during the last three months of this year. This is also “subject to statutory approvals processes". 

She added: “Phase one enabling works are due to be completed in Q2 2026 with phase three enabling works due to be completed in Q3 2026.”

If construction does finish in 2029, equipping the units will take some months after that. 

It will hold 82 in-patient rooms, high-dependency units, palliative care, haematology beds, procedure rooms, operating theatres and diagnostics. 

Pressures on the supra-regional paediatric service have been well aired.

It gets about 25,000 presentations to the emergency department and does 3,500 day procedures every year. In addition, it admits about 5,500 children.

Outpatient clinics alone receive almost 6,000 new referrals annually. 

Almost all children are treated in Cork, with a small number transferred to Children’s Health Ireland in Dublin.

This includes about 130 to 140 children transferred to intensive care units every year. CHI runs Ireland's only children’s ICUs. 

Small numbers are also transferred for conditions including heart or spinal care.

HSE South-West said some pressure would be relieved "in the coming year", with a new assessment unit and high-dependency unit. 

Fianna Fáil TD for Cork South Central Séamus McGrath recently raised the delays in the Dáil with health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill.

She acknowledged tender documents had yet to be issued.

In addition she said: “The programme and timeline for completion of the new paediatric wing can only be determined based upon the contractors’ tender returns and the contractor ultimately appointed.” 

Mr McGrath described the delays as “disappointing”. 

“This is a very important project for Cork to deliver enhanced paediatric services at the CUH campus,” he said.

“I welcome the fact that enabling works are progressing on-site, however it’s disappointing that there has been some delay with the proposed commencement of the main construction work. 

“It’s critically important that this project progresses without further delays to ensure completion and operation at the earliest possible time.”