Letterkenny surgical hub to move to design phase in early 2026

The planned new surgical hub at Letterkenny University Hospital is expected to move to the design phase in early 2026.

Earlier this year, following intense speculation and lobbying, the Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll Mac Neill, announced that separate surgical hubs would be developed in Letterkenny and Sligo.

Letterkenny University Hospital will see the development of a new two-theatre surgical hub beside the existing hospital building, along with the addition of 30 ambulatory day oncology chairs, 15 of which are new and 15 which are replacements.

A new stand-alone, two-theatre surgical hub will be constructed in Sligo. 

Sinn Fein Councillor Gerry McMonagle, who is the Chair of the Regional Health Forum West, Fianna Fáil Councillor Ciaran Brogan and Independent Councillor Declan Meehan all submitted questions to this month’s meeting of the forum in relation to timelines for the new surgical hub.

In response to each, the HSE confirmed that a capital programme oversight board has been established at LUH to oversee the creation of the development control plan for the LUH campus. 

“The Health Planning Consultancy team, led by PWC, commenced work earlier this summer and have begun working with the Project Team and User Groups within the Hospital,” the HSE said. “The Design Team for the DCP have now been appointed and will be focusing on the development of a comprehensive master plan / DCP for the campus.”

The response added that the ambulatory care hub, which will provide additional ambulatory cancer capacity and additional surgical facilities, is a key priority project.

Councillor McMonagle expressed concern that the official response did not mention the surgical hub.

However, Tony Canavan, the Regional Executive Officer, HSE West and North West, apologised for the lack of clarity and the use of terminology.

Mr Canavan told the meeting that the surgical hubs planned for both Letterkenny University Hospital and Sligo University Hospital have both been encompassed under a national steering group.

He said the appointment of a design team would “help in that regard” and this was expected in the first quarter of 2026.

Councillor Meehan hailed the large team of doctors and community advocates who were “fighting for years” in relation to this matter.

Councillor Brogan thanked Minister Carroll Mac Neill and said the decision to proceed with two surgical hubs “is what is right for the north west.”

He said: “All that we wanted in Donegal was a level playing field. We wanted the same level of treatment for our patients.”

In July the Minister said she had a two-year target for the delivery of the new surgical hub 

The LUH hub is designed to reduce pressure on the Emergency Department by providing day case services and non-complex procedures.

There had been fears that just one new hub would service the north west from Sligo.

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A letter signed by 171 Donegal-based doctors recently said a snub of Letterkenny University Hospital as a location for the hub was “flawed, unjustified, and deeply damaging”. Representatives of a group of local clinicians subsequently met with the Minister and outlined their concerns before a u-turn was confirmed.