Minister Harris to open unit

SENATOR Ged Nash has said that the €40million series of extensions approved by the Labour Party in government in 2014 have “transformed Drogheda’s hospital to the benefit of both patients and staff.”

Speaking ahead of the official opening of the 29 single-patient room Newgrange Unit by Health Minister Simon Harris, Senator Nash explained;

“I worked very hard with Brendan Howlin in the previous government to secure the €40million needed to develop the series of extensions to the Lourdes.

“The new 29-bed unit has been open since early December, with an additional 29 specialist orthopaedic beds and the remaining 23 beds coming on stream later this year. This totals a net gain of 81 badly needed beds for our hospital thanks to a public investment decision taken by the previous government.

He went on, “This multi-million euro health project also involves the partial completion of Phase 2 of the Emergency Department which, subject to government funding, will be available to open in the second or third quarter of 2018, with the Theatre Suite expected to be opened in early 2019.