A 25 million euro facility which will replace St Joseph’s Hospital in Ennis has been given the green light.
Clare’s Junior Minister at the Department of Jobs, Pat Breen has confirmed that the new Community Elderly Care Facility will be built on a greenfield site in the county town.
In January last year HIQA placed a restriction on new admissions to St Joseph’s Hospital in Ennis, saying the HSE failed to address ongoing issues there and put a sustainable plan in place to improve the quality of life for residents.
But in a first of its kind legal case, an agreement was reached to keep the doors of the Lifford facility open, and since then, a number of steps have been taken by the HSE to improve facilities for residents.
The HSE’s National Capital & Priority Steering Group had previously issued a decision to construct a 50 bed replacement block on the existing site of St Joseph’s to address the issues.
However, this option posed logistical issues and now, instead, it’s been confirmed that officials are to push ahead with a new development.
That will cost 25 million euro, and will be located on a greenfield site in Ennis.
It will provide 100 beds for the care of the elderly, comprising 75 long-stay and 25 short stay beds.
Clare’s Junior Minister, Pat Breen is welcoming the announcement, saying its the final cog in the hurdle for upgrading of services for the elderly in Clare.
The HSE is now focusing on site options for the new building, after which plans for a new state of the art facility will be drawn up and submitted for planning.
The new facility is expected to be opened by 2021.
