Cork hospital to get new endoscopy unit by end of year

A NEW endoscopy unit is set to be provided in Bantry General Hospital in West Cork by the end of the year.

Senator Tim Lombard had asked the Seanad for an update on the new unit of Bantry General Hospital, saying he wished to dispel rumours being spread by local election candidates. 

Rumours were being spread that the hospital is closing down, he said: “It’s anything but, it’s thriving”

He described the remote rural hospital as “such a driver in our economy,” and that it has 330 whole-time equivalents, which means more than 600 staff work there.

Significant investment has been happening in this complex over the past 10 years in particular, but “in election cycles, this hospital always becomes a political football,” he said.

“Some local election candidates actually used their literature to talk about Bantry General Hospital, or are going around talking about it being downgraded. I think that’s really unfair on the management and the people that use the service. If anything, the investment we’ve seen here is quite amazing, and the feeling on the ground in Bantry is that this is one of best hospitals in country and the staff are the best in Ireland.”

He asked: “I had the privilege, a few weeks ago, of walking through this unit that has been proposed and nearly finished. I am looking for an update regarding when that will be up and running, when the timelines will be set?” 

Minister of State Niall Collins said, “staffing at the hospital has grown by 67 since the end of December 2019, from 266 to 331 at the end of March 2024, an increase in staffing of almost 25%.

“In 2019, Bantry General Hospital had a budget of just under €20m. In 2024, the budget increased to just over €25m, meaning its budget has grown by about 27.5% over the years from 2019 to 2024.”

He said that construction of the endoscopy unit in Bantry General Hospital is currently underway and works are scheduled to be complete in quarter three of this year, with the new building anticipated to be handed over by the contractors to HSE estates then.

At this stage, internal inspection by the HSE will be done, with commissioning and equipping of the unit taking place then, he said. “It is currently envisaged service delivery will take place by in quarter four of this year.”