Galway Bay fm newsroom - Concerns are being raised that a long-discussed new elective hospital for Galway will fall "far short of what was planned".
It follows a recent high-level presentation which focused on new ambulatory - or outpatient - elective only hospital facilities for Galway, Dublin and Cork.
The proposed hospital would be located on the grounds of Merlin Park and was until now widely understood to be a full new elective hospital.
It's previously been touted as a 200 bed facility with 11 operating theatres that would cater to non-complex, short stay surgeries.
However, Senator Sean Kyne says the latest revelations indicate that it will be a day only facility with no inpatient beds.
He argues this plan is several rungs below a full service elective hospital and is very far removed from what was discussed in recent years.
It follows recent confirmation from the Saolta Hospital Group that a new emergency department at UHG is still years away from being realised.
Senator Kyne says Saolta - which oversees UHG and Merlin Park - isn't happy with these proposals for Merlin Park - for more, tune in to Galway Bay fm news on the hour...
