Dáil plea to move UHG to Merlin Park

Two local TDs pleaded with Acting Health Minister Leo Varadkar in the Dáil this week to urgently move University Hospital Galway to Merlin Park on a phased basis because it is “bursting at the seams”.

During the first debate on health services for the 32nd Dáil on Wednesday afternoon, newly-elected Galway West Fine Gael TD Hildegarde Naughton, in her maiden speech, said that little has changed since the publication of the Codd Report in 2002, which highlighted the chronic problems of over-capacity.

She questioned the logic of building a new 75-bed unit at UHG on an already cramped 42-acre site, while Merlin Park is “vastly underutilised” with 150 acres.

And she said fears were not unfounded that the new €17.6m unit would not add additional bed capacity – last month, the Galway City Tribune revealed that with three wards being closed or demolished to make way for the development, there will be no new beds.

Deputy Naughton told the Dáil that Cork is currently planning a 300-bed hospital to relieve pressure on other hospitals – which must be on at least 50 acres, but preferably 100 acres.

“I refer to the plans for University Hospital Galway. It plans to build a 75-bed extension, but health management cannot tell us how many additional beds that will provide. The extension will not be on a 100-acre or even a 50-acre site but, rather, a 42-acre site.

“The site is hemmed in by major roads on all sides, and there are significant traffic issues and virtually no parking. The site is very cramped and a carpark had to be removed to make space for a new mental health unit.”

For the rest of this story, see this week’s Galway City Tribune