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25 Sept 2025
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25 Sept 2025
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An artist's impression of the proposed hospice to serve four midland counties
It has emerged that major issues were raised with Stephen Donnelly when he was the minister for health over the chosen site for the location of the Midland’s Hospice.
Two sites were presented as being suitable in Tullamore, one at Arden Lane and the other the Wellwood site just off the Tullamore bypass.
In a correspondence to certain stakeholders in September 2024, Stephen Donnelly wrote, ''significant concerns were raised with me about the potential for long delays associated with the Arden Lane site.
''While the Wellwood site is zoned, serviced and just a few hundred metres from Tullamore Hospital, the Arden Lane site is not zoned for healthcare, does not have services to the site and requires road widening on the approach road.
''Having considered these concerns in detail as well as engaging with the senior management team in Tullamore Hospital and other Hospice organisations around the country. I have decided nonetheless to proceed with the Arden Lane site, in part because the HSE assures me that these issues were factored into their assessment process.''
He continued,''nonetheless, one or more of these risks could materialise, which could in turn delay the project for years. As such, I am stipulating that within twelve months, planning for the new hospice at Arden Lane must be granted, along with an agreed road widening plan and funded commitments from the relevant site bodies to bring services to the Arden Lane site.''
Mr Donnelly finished by saying, ''I think we can all agree that the people of the Midlands have waited long enough and deserve to see their fantastic new hospice up and running.''
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Meanwhile following a request from Offaly Planning Authority, the HSE provided significant further information to the HSE on Tuesday September 16 and it will take four weeks from that date for a decision to be reached.
This is after the 12 months stipulated by Stephen Donnelly.
Stephen Donelly lost his Fianna Fail Dail seat in 2024. Jennifer Carroll MacNeill Fine Gael is now the Minister for Health. She has backed the Arden Lane site for the 20 bed Midlands Hospice.
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