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02 Oct 2025
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02 Oct 2025
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Health Minister Stephen Donnelly (seated) with Cllr Peter Ormond and Deputy Barry Cowen in Tullamore
HEALTH Minister Stephen Donnelly said on Friday afternoon that he is personally intervening to ensure speedy delivery of a hospice for the Midlands.
Speaking in Tullamore, Minister Donnelly indicated he still believes the long awaited project can be fast-tracked.
The Minister revealed that the State funding for the 20-bed hospice, which will be built on the grounds of the Midlands Regional Hospital, Tullamore, has been increased from €20m to €24m.
“The money now has been sanctioned and is now fully available for the health team locally. The detailed design team will be appointed in a small number of weeks,” said Minister Donnelly.
“They will be highly cognisant of designs that have already been done... And what I've said to the HSE is there is to be no strategic assessment review, there is to be no request for another business case. This has been sanctioned by Government, it's being funded, the funding has been allocated, the design team is about to be appointed and I want to see diggers on site as quickly as possible.”
In December the Minister said the hospice should be up and running before the end of 2025.
Today he said that would require a “quick build” but he sees no reason why it cannot be done.
“I'm getting personally involved to ensure that this moves at pace and we don't see here what unfortunately we've seen in some other places where the cold dead hand of bureaucracy, for the best of reasons, to manage the risk, but unfortunately not with the best outcomes for patients, gets involved. I'm sticking absolutely to what I said the last time.”
The Minister said last year the Midlands hospice will be the main pillar of a “proper palliative care strategy” for the region, with its 20 beds, along with community palliative care and services for adults and children.
Groups such as Offaly Hospice, Hooves 4 Hospice, North Westmeath Hospice, South Westmeath Hospice, Longford Hospice and Laois Hospice have been campaigning and fundraising for many years.
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