A new Development Control Plan (DCP ) for University Hospital Galway, as well as an associated Strategic Assessment Review (SAR ) has been completed and is approved by the HSE Board, the latest meeting of the Regional Health Forum heard last week.
The DCP and SAR were subsequently submitted to the Department of Health for review in mid. 2025. Positive feedback has been received from the Department and a solid base from which to procure individual projects is now in place.
The information was revealed after Galway city councillor Michael J Crowe asked for an update on where matters are, exactly, at this present time on the complete Masterplan and major Capital Build for the UHG campus.
In response, Anne Cosgrove, Integrated Health Area Manager, for Saolta Galway Roscommon, said that individual projects will now proceed on a phased basis as set out in the DCP.
“The projects required include both considerable enabling and decanting works to clear and de-risk sites for major projects, and the subsequent delivery of the major projects themselves.
“Decanting of outpatient services from UHG to the Merlin Park Campus is ongoing, as are enabling works to clear the site for the first major project (Ward Block A ). A Design Team Framework has been established to proceed with enabling works in other locations on the campus and design of these projects will commence in Q1 2026,” she said.
The forum heard that the construction of a new helipad on a combination of Local Authority and HSE lands is a key enabling project for the campus and discussions are underway with the Local Authority around the purchase of the required lands for this project.
Ms Cosgrove said that that tenders have been returned for a Major Projects Design Team Framework, these are being reviewed at present and it is intended to establish this framework in Q1 2026.
The Department of Health have approved the initiation of the first two major projects identified in the DCP and design teams from the new Framework will be appointed to these two major projects in Q2 2026.
“These projects will be Ward Block A delivering 150 new acute beds over one floor of radiology services, and Ward Block B, which will deliver a further 150 beds over a multi-storey shell and core unit to contain other services including inpatient maternity services.
“It is intended to initiate the design of these Ward blocks, in Q2 of 2026 and to complete the sketch design stage and submit separate Preliminary Business Cases for each block by the end of this year. A Business Consultant has been procured to assist with this work,” she said, adding that all infrastructure projects must comply with the DPENDR’s (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform ) Infrastructural Guidelines (IG ) as they progress through the project Lifecyle.
“Given the scale of investment required a number of proposed projects at UHG will constitute ‘Major Projects’ (i.e. will have an estimated capital cost in excess of €200 million ) and as such will require additional approvals including review by the Major Projects Advisory Group and Government Approval. Ward Blocks A and B each fall within the category of Major Projects,” Ms Cosgrove concluded.
