Dingle Hospital on track for completion

Dingle Hospital to be completed next month
According to HSE officials Dingle's new 68-bed community hospital is on track for completion next month, however it is still unclear as to when patients will actually be transferred to the facility. Responding to a parliamentary question posed by Deputy Jimmy Deenihan, Local Health Manager for Kerry Tom Leonard released a statement this week indicating that the €16.4 million project at Farran, Dingle is poised for completion this December. Construction commenced in early October 2007 and according to the statement released this week by Mr. Leonard, "it is envisaged that it will be completed next month."
"The HSE has commenced the detailed work of commissioning the unit, i.e. purchasing equipment, commissioning of plant etc, there is also provision in the HSE's capital plan for the full equipping of the unit" he said. "As part of the 2009 budgetary process, the HSE has included provision for the pay and non-pay costs associated with the running of this unit in 2009." The statement also warned however that it is unclear as to when the hospital will become operational. "The HSE Service Plan for 2009 is currently being formulated and pending finalisation of the Service Plan it is not possible at this stage to advise when the unit will become operational and when patients can be transferred to the new facility" it read. The new hospital will replace the existing 43 bed community hospital and the project also includes a mental health day care centre, a day care centre for older people and an ambulance base.