Over €10m announced for capital health projects in Louth for 2022

€10.26 million has been approved for capital spending on health projects in County Louth for 2022, that it set to benefit projects in Ardee, Castlebellingham and Drogheda.

The breakdown of the approved funding is as follows:

• Ardee Ambulance Base - new ambulance station in Ardee - €1.25 million
• Castlebellingham - Refurbish, reconfigure and extend existing Health Centre to create a Primary Care Centre - €1.28 million
• Drogheda - House purchase, residential facility for High Dependence Hostel (under review, new submission probable). site purchase may be required - €0.05 million
• Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital - Psychiatry of Later Life Unit (POLL): Proposed 10 bed extension. Feasibility Study March 2021 - €0.1 million
• Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital - Purchase and installation of a second CT scanner. Removal of the existing (pre 2018) CT scanner and the supply and installation of new scanner into same space, with minor works to the room space - €0.02 million
• Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital - Replacement of existing OPD modular building, with an extended two storey building. This will provide improved and additional outpatient capacity and assist social distancing requirements. Replacement of existing OPD modular building, with an extended two storey building. This will provide improved and additional outpatient capacity and assist social distancing requirements. Combined with 3066 (possible new submission to follow, says the Department of Health) - €0.3 million
• St Mary's Hospital, Drogheda - Combine Boyneview and St Mary's: Refurbishment and new build of 60 No. beds (Phase 1 - 30 No. beds new build), second phase to upgrade existing St Mary's Hospital -30 No. Beds, to be tendered - €7.26 million

Welcoming news of the funding, Louth TD Fergus O'Dowd said, “the Minister for Health has confirmed to me that the national capital spend for 2022 for the construction and equipping of healthcare facilities is €1.02bn nationally, an increase of 4% on 2021. 

“It is good to see that continued and considerable investment if our local Health services, in particular the €7.26m that has been approved for works on the 60 new beds in the St Marys Hospital Refurbishment which is advancing well through construction stages.”

Louth Fianna Fáil Senator, Erin McGreehan, has also welcomed news of the funding for projects in Louth, saying, "I'm delighted that the Government has provided €10.26m to further upgrade public health care facilities across Louth. Capital investment has a key role to play in enhancing service provision and ensuring the delivery of high quality and safe health and social care. 

"The publication of this plan by my party colleague and Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly is a continued sign of the investment taking place in our health service."