Shock revelation over planned new Mayo emergency unit

The new emergency department (ED) planned for Mayo University Hospital won't be operational anytime in the near future.

It 'will be years’ before the design and construction processes for the facility are completed, while preliminary designs will not be ready until ‘late August’.

The shock revelation was delivered by Ann Cosgrove, chief operations officer, Saolta Hospital Group, at a HSE Forum West meeting over the course of a lengthy debate with Councillor Michael Kilcoyne on the matter.

The Independent councillor had submitted a detailed written question for information on when the plans for the facility will be ready, when the HSE intends to apply for planning permission, and when the ED is expected to be operational.

A written response from Joe Hoare, HSE West Estates, stated: "The design team is developing a preliminary scheme based on the requirements and site constraints.

"It is anticipated that the preliminary outline design (stage 1) will be available August 2022.

"Delays have been experienced on the project when the design team were temporarily diverted to progress the scheme for the CT replacement project.

"A planning permission application is anticipated in due course once the design process has been sufficiently advanced.

"This project is included in the HSE Capital Plan and sufficient funding is available in 2022 to meet the anticipated cash flow requirements arising.

"The timeline for commencement of construction is dependent on the time required to complete the design and tender process. The overall project programme is currently being reviewed in parallel with the preliminary design process (stage 1)."

In response, Councillor Kilcoyne said his question was not answered. He was given no time or date of when the plans will be ready.

"Secondly, I asked when will you be applying for planning permission and am told ‘in due course when the scheme is sufficiently advanced’. What kind of a reply is that?

"That’s not what I’m asking. I’m asking for a date - and the response does not even say anything regarding my query of when will it be operational - so will it be five or 10 years? I really want a more precise answer."

Ms. Cosgrove said in the construction and design business, there are extreme pressures across the country at the moment, with limited design teams available and limitations regarding construction companies.

She continued: "Regarding reasonable timelines, in reality it will be a few years before this is operational and running, because the design process can take up to nine months plus, planning can take another four or five months, so there are timelines associated with every aspect.

"At the last meeting I committed to getting you a timeline from Estates once they can give us a reasonable timeline; it will probably be by the end of August when we have an outline design and I expect we should be able to have a reasonable timeline then."

Councillor Kilcoyne interjected: "According to dates given before, this project should have been finished years ago. This is a plain, flat, straightforward site. It’s not on the side of Croagh Patrick.

"Can I ask you to clarify - you say funding was made available for the plans and design - but is there any for the actual job?"

Ms. Cosgrove: "No. Each step of the process is a funding decision step, so we have been funded for the design and planning application and then reports have to be completed by technical teams and submitted nationally; but there is the commitment to the new ED. It is in the capital plan; the funding comes as it is required."

As the forum chairman sought to move on to the next question (a total of 60 questions from 40 members were on the June meeting list), a dissatisfied Councillor Kilcoyne told Ms. Cosgrove: "I will hold you to that."