New 36 bed Specialist Palliative Care Unit to be built in Louth

The Government has committed to the development of a new hospice in Drogheda, to serve Louth and Meath, Louth Fine Gael TD Paula Butterly has said. 

According to Deputy Butterly, the HSE has declared it a strategic goal and a priority to develop a 36 bed Specialist Palliative Care Unit in Drogheda to service the population of Louth and Meath.

This is in line, said the Louth TD, with the Department of Health’s 2024 National Adult Palliative Care Policy, the HSE 2017 Development Framework for Palliative Care and the HSE Capital Plan 2025.

The HSE has been working in partnership with a registered charity - Newgrange Hospice Foundation – to deliver the hospice. The partnership with Newgrange Hospice will mean construction costs of the new hospice being covered by the charity and its donors. The HSE will fund the fit out and operating costs (both pay and non-pay).

Deputy Butterly has expressed her delight with this announcement. “I have been working with the Minister for Health on this issue for some time.

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"A palliative care centre has long been needed for Louth and East Meath. This announcement is a great step forward in ensuring that end-of-life care is available to those who need it most. 

“I will continue to engage with the Minister as this development progresses, so it can be built swiftly and with consideration for its users”. 

The tender is expected to be published in Q1 2026. It is anticipated the build out will be Q2 2026 to Q2 2028. The aim is to open the new hospice and admit patients in Q4 2028. The new Drogheda Hospice will be under HSE Governance and will provide integrated and high-quality palliative care to patients in the North-East.