Tendering for the construction of a long-discussed elective hospital in Cork will get underway towards the end of this year.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly gave the update at an Oireachtas Health Committee meeting yesterday in response to a question from Cork TD Colm Burke.
The Government announced in December of last year that the new hospital would be located on the site of St Stephen's Hospital in Glanmire.
It's planned that it will include nine operating theatres, nine minor operating rooms and is expected to reduce waiting lists by providing 180,000 extra procedures, treatments and diagnostic appointments every year.
Stephen Donnelly outlined how the project has progressed.
"A design team has been appointed, it's in place, it's taking forward the planning permission and its now working on a detailed design.
"My expectation is that we will be able to move to tender later this year, so that means planning hopefully secured, detailed design done and signed off.
"It's going to be a game changer for the region."
