The planning application for a long-awaited 100-bed community nursing unit on the grounds of St Patrick’s Hospital will made inside the first quarter of this year.
The news was announced to Independent TD John Halligan in recent days, in response to a parliamentary question put to Health Minister Leo Varadkar.
Should the planning process progress ‘smoothly’, Deputy Halligan said he’s been told that construction could commence on the facility later this year.
“I am cautiously optimistic that we will finally see some movement on this badly-needed facility in the coming weeks”, he continued.
“In recent weeks, the HSE has had extensive consultations with the planning authorities about the new facility and particularly the treatment of the listed / protected buildings on the site.
“The purpose of the consultation process is to ensure a successful planning application in so far as is possible and this is to be welcomed – we can afford no more delays on this long-awaited facility. Great credit must go to the group led by Davy Walsh who have been protesting at the hospital on a weekly basis for so many years.”
