Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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136. To ask the Minister for Health the progress that has been made in relation to the written request to him by the clinical director of Galway University Hospital and the management of a group (details supplied) to examine an options appraisal of a new hospital; if the permission has been given; if not, the status of the request; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27902/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Significant progress has been made in terms of planning for a new ED at University Hospital Galway. At a visit to the Hospital in February, I announced that funding had been allocated to progress the design phase of the new Emergency Department. The Saolta Healthcare Group has since received notification of capital approval of €100,000 in this regard.

Currently, work is on-going with regard to the design team procurement process; expressions of interest were due to be submitted in early June and the project is expected to go out to tender in July of this year.

The Saolta Healthcare Group has committed to working to expedite this project as effectively as possible, as a new ED will provide valuable opportunities to significantly improve safety, dignity and privacy for patients attending UHG.

In May, I gave my approval to the Saolta Healthcare Group to develop a plan for the future of its hospitals and necessary service expansion and for the conduct of an options appraisal for the future acute hospital needs in Galway.

Having regard to the need to manage the demand for both scheduled and unscheduled care in the interim, the HSE has also been asked to develop a short to medium term plan for both the UHG and Merlin Park sites, prior to the delivery of significant new capacity.