PLANS for a new hospital in Killarney, to replace the two existing community hospitals, must not be shelved because of the rapidly escalating costs associated with the new national children’s hospital in Dublin, a Kerry councillor has insisted.
The hospital on the site of St James’s Hospital project has spiralled to nearly €1.4 billion and a total of €24 million will be drawn down from the health capital budget in 2019 and 2020 in order to meet the shortfall.
Although a spokeswoman for Health Minister, Simon Harris, insisted that no hospital project will be delayed or cancelled as a result, Cllr John Joe Culloty is seeking better assurances from the government.
He has asked Kerry County Council officials to write to Minister Harris seeking confirmation that the plans in progress for a new hospital in Killarney, will not be cut.
The government had pledged to build the new community hospital in Killarney by 2021, with the national capital programme providing for the replacement and refurbishment of 90 nursing homes across the country over the next five years.
The plan proposes to deliver a new community hospital unit in Killarney to replace the existing facilities where the physical environment requires significant improvement.
Significant work has been undertaken by the HSE in determining the most appropriate scheduling of projects over the five-year period from 2016 to 2021, within the phased provision of funding, to achieve compliance and registration with HIQA.
The new hospital is to replace the former district hospital and St Columbanus Home, both located off St Margaret’s Road.
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