New greenfield hospital for city in the pipeline – but long-term

A new plan for a public hospital at a greenfield site in Galway isn’t going to happen ‘overnight’ but local health chiefs insist a new build is the preferred option.

Ann Cosgrove, Chief Operating Officer, of Saolta University Health Care Group, conceded this week there are no concrete plans yet drawn up for the construction of a new city hospital.

However, she rejected accusations, from City Councillor Pádraig Conneely, the new hospital was a ‘pipe-dream’ and will ‘never happen’.

In her written response to questions from Cllr Conneely about the status of a new hospital for the Merlin Park campus, Ms Cosgrove said: “Currently, there has been no formal contact or discussion with the Department of Health regarding a proposal.”

She said Saolta, which manages the west’s group of hospitals, are reviewing the development plan for Merlin Park and UHG.

The “single biggest priority” of Saolta right now is the replacement of the Emergency Department at UHG.

She said there is an “urgent requirement to replace the Emergency Department to meet current and future capacity requirements”.

But she has conceded HSE Estates hasn’t yet given the green light for the new Emergency Department, and is mulling over a cost-benefit analysis submitted in April.

Cllr Conneely said her response was proof that plans for a new hospital at Merlin Park was just ‘loose talk’ from a consultant.

He said he was disappointed because the consultant in question, who he did not name, was a member of the board of Saolta and should be more circumspect when commenting in public.

“I hope the 24,000 people on waiting lists will still be around when this hospital is built,” said Cllr Conneely.

Ms Cosgrove said anyone following media coverage of plans for a new children’s hospital in Dublin will be aware it takes ‘many, many years’ to go through planning never mind the build stages.

She confirmed the consultant in question hadn’t been speaking out of turn, as suggested by Cllr Conneely, when she said Galway Oireachtas members were informed of the long-term plan for a new hospital at Merlin Park at a recent briefing.