An elective hospital, planned for Cork, is expected to begin treating patients in 2027.
The hospital will be built on the 100 acre St Stephens Hospital site - where it is anticipated it will provide almost 180,000 procedures a year once operational.
Speaking in the Dáil, Cork North-Central TD, Pádraig O'Sullivan called for an update on the tender and construction process.
In response, Minister of State at the Department of Health, Mary Butler says the HSE must first finalise plans - before the project can be put out to tender later this year:
"The planning that the HSE is undertaking will give a better indication of the construction timelines. Updates will be available in due course. However, at present government is looking to the elective hospitals to receive their first patients in 2027 and to be fully operational in 2028. And the Department will continue to engage with the HSE to ensure the timely delivery of the new Elective Hospital in Cork".
