Updates on East Cork medical developments welcomed

A Cork TD has welcomed updates on several medical developments across East Cork following a briefing delivered to TDs by the HSE.

Community hospitals, primary care centres and mental health services in Midleton, Youghal, and Fermoy are progressing, with some set to be complete in the coming weeks.

A new 50-bed community nursing unit (CNU) at Midleton Community Hospital, consisting of two 25 bed ‘Residential Households’ is almost ready, the HSE said at the briefing, adding that they are actively engaging with the public-private partnership company to achieve completion of the Midleton unit before the end of the year.

The building will then be made available to the service for equipping, commissioning and Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) registration, prior to welcoming patients into the new facility.

The HSE said the unit will require “significant preparation prior to becoming operational, but once the building is officially registered by Hiqa, transfer of services to the new unit will take place as soon as possible,” they said.

Additionally, refurbishment works at Fermoy Community Hospital are nearing completion, with regulatory process to commence subsequently.

A new community nursing unit is also being developed for Youghal which will provide 60 beds for the town and surrounding community. This new unit will replace and merge the services currently provided by Cois Abhainn and Youghal Community Hospital.

In relation to the existing Youghal Community Hospital site, the space requirements and needs of the service in the area are currently being reviewed by HSE estates Cork/Kerry. Once completed this will inform a development control plan. Once this has been finalised, a capital funding must then be sanctioned for same.

The TDs were also given updates on primary care centres.

Planning was granted in July 2025 for the Midleton primary care centre, and final design plans are currently with stakeholders for review and signoff. Construction commenced in October for the Youghal primary care centre, with a projected delivery date of Q2, 2027 for both.

Meanwhile the HSE South West Mental Health service is currently developing a new 10-bed rehabilitative residential unit on the site of the current Owenacurra facility in Midleton town with construction commencing in summer of 2025. The delay in commencing the new build was primarily caused by the fact that the facility had to be fully redesigned following the major flooding event which occurred in Midleton in October 2023.

Two community residences were purchased in Midleton to accommodate six of the remaining former residents, one of the properties (Lauriston) currently accommodates three residents and is staffed on a 24/7 basis while the second property based on O’Dwyer’s Road is currently undergoing refurbishment to meet the needs of the residents. It is anticipated that the remaining residents will move to their new home this month.

Social DemocratS TD for Cork East, Liam Quaide, told The Echo that he welcomed the progress being made on several key developments in the region.

“Service developments for Cork East outlined by the HSE in their briefing to Oireachtas members were very promising. The Midleton Primary Care Centre will be a game-changer for the town and its surrounds and it’s good to see progress being steadily made on site with the construction of Youghal Primary Care Centre. I look forward to the completion of works on Fermoy Community Hospital.

“I did query what sounds like a very ambitious delivery date projection for Midleton primary care centre. I expect that may take significantly longer to materialise.

“Prolonged delays with the opening of the community nursing unit for Midleton and with the Owenacurra Centre rebuild have been frustrating, but there is commitment on the HSE’s part to see these projects through.”