BREAKING: Decision made on site for new hospital facility in Limerick

THE DECISION on a site for a new hospital facility in Limerick has been made, with the HSE set to acquire 43-acres of land at Raheen.

The news was confirmed this Monday evening, with Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill giving the green light for the HSE to purchase the site.

The site will welcome a new hospital campus to remove the pressure on University Hospital Limerick (UHL).

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It's understood Ms MacNeill is due in Limerick on Tuesday morning to announce the news officially.

The site is located around two kilometres from the existing hospital campus in Dooradoyle. It's understood its located in the vicinity of Raheen Industral Estate.

Fine Gael Senator Maria Byrne has welcomed the news.

She said: "I think it's absolutely wonderful to see this happen. Since I've been elected it's something I have been working on, and looking for in terms of development. The fact this has been signed off is very welcome."

The facility is coming following a series of recommendations made by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) to solve the overcrowding crisis at UHL.

As revealed by Limerick Live last month, a number of sites were in the mix for the investment, with the site which is being signed off appearing to be the frontrunner.

HIQA had recommended a number of options, three of which Ms MacNeill has accepted.

Option A was to expand capacity at UHL on the Dooradoyle site, Option B to extend the UHL hospital campus to comprise the existing Dooradoyle site and another site, in close proximity to UHL and support the delivery of healthcare services under a single governance.

The final option, C, was to develop a model three hospital in the HSE Mid West, providing a second emergency department for the region.