Lowry Welcomes Unprecedented Investment In South Tipperary General Hospital
Tremendous news for South Tipperary General Hospital following confirmation from Deputy Michael Lowry that the Hospital is to be included in the Capital Investment Plan. The Hospital is now earmarked for a substantial €50 Million infrastructural investment plan.
L-R: Professor Mr Peter Murchan, Mr Michael Lowry (TD), M/s Maria Barry (Hospital General Manager), and Professor Mr Paud O’Regan.
Deputy Michael Lowry has today confirmed, what he himself called “the biggest ever investment in a Tipperary Health Care project”.
“This is ground-breaking, fantastic news for South Tipperary General Hospital. I’m absolutely delighted for the Management and Staff of the Hospital and for the people of Tipperary. Since the last general election when North and South Tipperary were combined into one constituency, I made a promise to the people of Tipperary that the investment and development of South Tipperary General Hospital was my number one priority. Originally I made the case for the much need 12 bed overflow unit to be funded and I am pleased that this is now open and in operation. Next was the provision of a 40 bed modular unit to alleviate the chronic overcrowding at the Hospital, I can confirm that the modular unit has now been designed, the preferred contractor has now been chosen and contracts are ready to be signed, funding of €16m is in place and the order for supply is ready to be placed. It is intended to have this state of the art unit functional for November 2018.”
Deputy Lowry continued:
“Over the past year I have personally made a strong case that South Tipperary General Hospital needed to be included in the Capital Investment Plan. I had extensive on going discussions with Hospital Management, Ministers Simon Harris, Paschal Donohoe and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, I am thrilled to confirm that our efforts have been met with resounding success. The Hospital is one of the priority projects in the plan which will be initiated and concluded. I can also confirm that as part of the Capital Investment Plan for South Tipperary General Hospital the Hospital will receive €3.2m for the provision of a new Outpatient Clinic. I can also confirm that under the Capital Plan design work will be advanced for the construction of a new 50 bed unit with estimated costs of over €24 million. Overall the total investment in South Tipperary General Hospital in the short term will be a minimum of €50m”.
Deputy Lowry concluded:
“The staff and everyone involved at the Hospital in Clonmel have shown remarkable patience and resilience. They have kept the Hospital going during very difficult times and circumstances. We are now witnessing an amazing turnaround in the fortunes of South Tipperary General Hospital. It was only a short time ago since the Hospital was listed for downgrading, we have now turned the corner and there is fantastic confidence in the Hospital’s future and a good atmosphere prevailing. There is huge credit due to the Management and Staff and I am delighted that after years of being ignored and neglected South Tipperary General Hospital is now the focus of attention by the HSE, by the Department of Health and the Government. I’m pleased that the multi million Euro investment that was required is now available.”
Leave a Reply