New €24m hospital extension to open in Letterkenny today under cloud of controversy – National News – Independent.ie

HOSPITAL managers showed off the country’s only newest medical facility, and defended the closure of a gynaecology ward to free up nurses to staff it.

The new medical block and emergency department at Letterkenny General Hospital cost more than €24M to complete.

When it is finally opened to patients today it will end a nine-year saga, having first been announced by then Health Minister Micheal Martin in July 2003. Work stopped on the project two years ago when builders McNamaras went into liquidation.

Now the celebrations surrounding the state-of-the-art facility have been overshadowed by a local campaign against the closure of the hospital’s gynae ward. Eleven staff there are being redeployed to facilitate the new emergency department and additional 72-bed unit.

via New €24m hospital extension to open in Letterkenny today under cloud of controversy – National News – Independent.ie.

via New €24m hospital extension to open in Letterkenny today under cloud of controversy – National News – Independent.ie.