Planned opening date for new medical services building in Limerick revealed

A BRAND new private medical services facility on the edge of Limerick is set to be operational by Easter 2025, it's been confirmed.

The chief executive of the Bon Secours Health Systems Ireland Bill Maher confirmed the news as the sod was turned at the site of part of the development, a new medical services hub in Towlerton.

It's anticipated the overall project, also involving the hospital, will see 250 new jobs created as part of a €200m investment.

Limerick senior hurling captain Declan Hannon and Darragh O'Donovan were on hand to officially turn the sod at the building site, which is opposite the new Educate Together Limerick Secondary School.

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The five-storey will be leased by the Bon Secours Health System and Alliance Medical Diagnostic Imagining Limited.

Rudi Butler of Kirkland Investments - the son of former city developer Robert Butler - said: "Kirkland Investments are delighted to have members of the Limerick hurling team here to break ground on this exciting new development which represents one part of a wider masterplan for this mixed use site. It highlights our continued commitment to providing modern tenant focused buildings, whilst contributing significantly to the local economy and providing long term employment for the Limerick area. It’s worth noting that Limerick City and County Council along with neighbours in the vicinity have proved helpful throughout the planning process and have shared in the masterplan vision for the site, which when finished will massively benefit the local community. In conjunction with the adjacent Educate Together secondary school and the new Bon Secours Hospital Limerick, currently under construction, Towlerton will create a new sustainable, urban neighbourhood, of which Limerick can be very proud."

The ground floor of the new medical faciliy will contain outpatient radiology services provided by Bon Secours Diagnostic Imaging, a joint venture between Bon Secours Health System and Alliance Medical Diagnostic Imaging.

This radiology service will include MRI, CT, X-Ray, dexa, ultrasound and for the first time in the region, Pet CT scanning.

Pet scans are used in the diagnosis and treatment of many diseases.

The most common use is in the detection of cancer and the evaluation of cancer treatment, with more recent applications in the area of neuroimaging and the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.

The remaining floors will contain outpatient clinical measurement diagnostics in the areas of cardiology, vascular, plus neurology and consultant consulting rooms associated with the new Bon Secours Limerick Hospital.

Sarah O’Sullivan of Bon Secours Health System added: "We are delighted that construction has now commenced on what will become our new clinical service hub for Bon Secours Hospital Limerick. We are excited to be partnering with Alliance Medical on this new joint venture. This new building will enable us to offer state of the art diagnostics to our outpatients in a location that is adjacent, but separate, to our main hospital, improving ease of access for patients. Cardiology services will form a strong component of the new hospital and the combination of this hub and the state-of-the-art services available within the new hospital will provide the full cardiology patient experience."