John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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34. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on progress towards implementation of the development control plan for University Hospital Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34620/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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In late 2023, Saolta convened a Capital Programme Oversight Board to develop a clinically led, holistic master planning approach for its University Hospital Galway (UHG) campus. This master planning process has been informed by population health needs and clinical demand for the region and it is proposing a number of projects of significant scale on campus. When complete, UHG will provide state of the art Model 4 hospital facilities for the people of Galway and the HSE West and Northwest Region.

In order provide a clear plan for the sequencing and phased delivery of the much-needed new capacity and facilities, a Development Control Plan (DCP) for the campus has been completed. This DCP includes plans for a new helipad, additional bed capacity, new emergency department, new paediatric and maternity facilities, labs and cancer centre.

In May, I visited Galway University Hospitals to see and hear about the proposals under the DCP. At the end of May 2025, my Department received a copy of the DCP and programme Strategic Assessment Report (SAR) for the proposals at UHG. These documents are currently being reviewed against the requirements of D/PENDR’s Infrastructure Guidelines and will be returned to the HSE with feedback, to be subsumed into the Preliminary Business Case (PBCs) for the first phases of the works. Work has commenced on the Preliminary Business Case and a Business Consultant has been appointed.

To deliver much needed new facilities at UHG a significant volume of enabling works will be required. The HSE has advised that initial enabling works on UHG campus to support this programme of works have begun.

The proposals for UHG, as well as the other significant ambitions we have for much-needed capital investment in our health system, form part of our ongoing engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform following Minister Chamber’s announcement of a review of the National Development Plan.