The long-awaited elective hospital for Galway at Merlin Park has taken “its first significant steps towards becoming a reality”.

That’s according to Galway West Deputy John Connolly, who has been told by the HSE that the first steps have been taken with progressing the new hospital, resulting in site assessment and designs that will inform the subsequent planning submissions.

Deputy Connolly said that his understanding was that a location within the Merlin Park site has been chosen and that the HSE is seeking companies to carry out site investigation works.

The information was revealed after the Fianna Fáil Td raised the issue in the Dáil.

In response, the HSE wrote directly to Deputy Connolly outlining that two teams were appointed at the end of 2024 – the Integrated Design Team to provide architectural, design and engineering services; and the Project Control Team to support the HSE in managing, controlling, and administering the design and construction programme.

The IDT is currently finalising the site option appraisal assessments at Merlin Park. This covers issues such as the location, location size, topography, environmental impacts, site security, and site zoning and so on.

The HSE informed Deputy Connolly that this will progress developing the site layout and overall plan for the selected plot. It also said the IDT is “working at pace to progress the detailed design”, which will inform the planning submissions, and the statutory and regulatory approvals needed to allow the proposed new hospital to go to tender and construction.

The IDT will work with the HSE to finalise the design option, but Deputy Connolly was informed that this work needs to be “comprehensive” and that it “will take time”. It will also involve “significant engagement with multiple stakeholders, including the local authorities”.

Once the detailed design is completed, a business case will be prepared to seek the necessary funding approvals to proceed to construction.

“There is still a long way to go before construction of the new hospital starts, but it is clear that progress is very much being made,” he said.

“The site is being examined and assessed, informing the plans that will be drawn up. It’s important that all involved get this absolutely right, so the time spent will be worth it when the new hospital finally starts being built.”

Pictured: Merlin Park Hospital: Location chosen for new elective facility.