Galway Bay fm newsroom - A new report has rubber-stamped Merlin Park as the preferred site for a new elective hospital for Galway.
It follows the completion of an options appraisal by HSE management which studied the present and future needs of the region.
The report has recommended Merlin Park as the site for the new facility, with the Saolta Healthcare group accepting the recommendation.
Galway West TD Hildegarde Naughton has stated that funding is in place for preparatory works but funding for the wider project has yet to be confirmed.
The new 200-bed hospital would cater for non complex, short stay surgeries such as hip and knee replacements, minor bladder procedures and non cancer prostate surgery.
The project would include 75 elective beds, 125 day case beds and 11 operating theatres.
Deputy Naughton argues an elective hospital would greatly assist in easing overcrowding issues at UHG - For more on this story, tune into Galway Bay fm news on the hour...
