Laois gets €17.7 million for health projects

HEALTH projects in Laois will receive €17.72m in capital funding announced this week.

The vast majority, or almost €15m, will go towards ongoing construction projects at the Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise and St Vincent’s Hospital in Mountmellick.

St Fintan’s Hospital in Portlaoise is also among the beneficiaries, while Mountrath will receive funding towards a long-awaited new Primary Care Centre.

The awards have been made under the 2025 HSE Capital Investment Programme.

The largest slice of funding at €7.75 million will go to the new two-storey emergency department extension and paediatric unit at Portlaoise hospital, which is nearing completion. The grant includes €300,000 for the purchase and refurbishment of a property adjacent to the hospital for on-call accommodation.

The second highest award at €7.12 million is for St Vincent’s Hospital (Community Nursing Unit) in Mountmellick, for works on the new 50-bed unit currently under construction.

Meanwhile, €250,000 has been allocated for the 'design feasibility' of a Primary Care Centre in Mountrath, where a site is being selected after the first proposed site proved unsuitable.

The Portlaoise hospital funding includes money for the preparation of a submission to increase beds in the hospital, under the Acute Inpatient Bed Capacity Expansion Plan 2024-2031. It also includes €750,000 for the phased delivery of anti-ligature works in the hospital’s Acute Mental Health Unit.

At St Fintan’s Hospital in Portlaoise, plans include the construction of two 10-bed high-support units in a community residence, as well as a detailed design for refurbishment works for the Laois Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service unit.

Funding has also been approved for detailed designs for the new Portlaoise Primary Care Centre, which will be located on the St Fintan’s Hospital campus on the Dublin Road.

Fire upgrade works at community nursing units in Mountmellick, Abbeyleix and Shaen will also be funded, following the completion of fire risk assessments.

Minor funding will be spent on a variety of other projects, including €100,000 for appraisal of the possibility of a new Community Mental Health day centre in Portlaoise, to replace the Triogue Centre on Bridge Street.

Welcoming the funding, Laois TD Willie Aird (FG) described it as ‘a strong demonstration of this government’s commitment to delivering high-quality, accessible healthcare in our communities’.

He said: ‘This is welcome news that will help bring healthcare services closer to home and better meet the needs of patients and families across Laois.’ 

His fellow government TD Seán Fleming (FF) said that all approved projects would ‘help improve health services for people across the county’. He said: ‘This new investment is a guarantee of better health facilities in the county for years to come. The funding has been provided by the government and it is essential that the HSE deliver on all the projects that are being funded and not leave any of this money unspent in Laois.’ 

The €17.72m for Laois is part of a record €1.33 billion capital budget nationally that was announced on 9 April.