The 50 square metre building will contain 11 rooms .

New extension set for Nenagh Hospital

Published: Thu 1 Oct 2020, 8:31 AM

Last updated: Thu 1 Oct 2020, 9:35 AM

Nenagh Hospital is set for further expansion as work is about to commence on a new €1.5 million extension at the front of the existing buiding. Labour Party Leader and Health Spokesman Alan Kelly has revealed that the new outpatient clinical area will be constructed on the site of the existing front car park of the hospital complex. The 50 square metre building will contain 11 rooms which will afford accommodation for a variety of clinicans to see people on an outpatient basis.

Mr Kelly said the new building will ease pressure on health services at University Hospital Limerick. "This is a very significant development and works on the new rectangular building are commencing in the current week," he revealed. The Labour Party Health Spokesman said the new block was being built under emergency Covid-19 leglislation and therefore did not require planning permission.

"Clancy Construction builders are carrying out the works and it is hoped to have the new facilities ready early next year."

Mr Kelly said he was very pleased that the works were taking place as he had been campaigning for some time for these facilities to be located in Nenagh. " I have been pushing for this for years."

He said the new facilities were "a hospital avoidence measure", and many people would now be able to go to the local hospital instead of travelling in to Limerick for appointments. "We all know about the overcrowding in Limerick and this should help to ease that burden as well."

Mr Kelly said he wanted to thank the HSE Mid West CEO Collette Cowan for approving the new facility. "This latest development comes on top of substantial investment in Nenagh Hospital over the last number of years and it is a further statement of intent in relation to the future of the local hospital."

Meanwhile, also planned on the hospital complex is the development of a new residential home for the elderly and infirm which will replace the existing Saint Conlon's Home in the town. The news comes on a week when Mr Kelly also revealed that a new drive-in test centre for Covid-19 is to be soon opened in Nenagh.