Louth councillor begins campaign for regional hospital in Ardee

Louth representative Cllr Dolores Minogue has taken the first steps in a campaign to see the development of a regional hospital in Ardee, and has written to the Minister for Health to ask her to consider the proposal in the context of her department’s ongoing planning for healthcare provision across the country.

Cllr Minogue put to the Minister, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD, that Ardee would be the ideal location for the development of a new regional hospital. and said that "notably, Ardee was earmarked in the 2004 Hanly Report as a suitable location for such a facility.

"Its strategic position along the N2 corridor, equidistant between the regional centres of Dundalk and Navan, and its accessibility to surrounding counties—including Monaghan, Meath, and Cavan—make it a prime candidate for investment in regional healthcare infrastructure."

The Fine Gael councillor noted that "these areas already experience growing pressure on health services due to an expanding population and increasing demand from both urban and rural communities in the wider mid-North East region. Establishing a regional hospital here would not only enhance access to critical healthcare services for thousands of residents but also alleviate pressure on existing hospitals in Drogheda and Navan, Dundalk of which are currently operating beyond capacity.

"Furthermore, Ardee has ample land availability, strong transport links via national roads and proposed upgrades such as the Ardee Bypass, and a committed local authority eager to facilitate strategic infrastructure."

Adding that she would welcome the "opportunity to discuss this further and outline the benefits in greater detail", Cllr Minogue is awaiting a response from Minister Carroll MacNeill, whose department said that officials would endeavor to provide a response "as soon as possible" on her proposal.