Health minister’s meetings over Letterkenny hospital ‘extremely positive’

The meetings that the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly held on Friday over concerns from consultants and GPs about Letterkenny University Hospital have been described by Donegal TD and government minister Charlie McConalogue as “extremely positive”.
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, who accompanied Minister Donnelly during his meetings with GPs, consultants, and hospital management and staff, said: “After receiving letters from the consultants at Letterkenny University Hospital and GPs in the county, Minister Donnelly was keen to meet them. He was also keen to meet with the hospital staff and management.”
The meetings followed the raising of serious concerns by hospital consultants and GPs across Donegal in letters to the minister for health.
GPs described their meeting with Stephen Donnelly as being both frank and productive.
A review of the hospital by the Performance Management and Improvement Unit, ordered by the health minister, got underway at the beginning of the month and is expected to be completed by mid-December.
Mr McConalogue said: “The minister listened carefully to all the concerns and issues raised and indicated that he will be reverting to all three groups with updates in due course. While Minister Donnelly acknowledged that there are challenges at Letterkenny University Hospital that are going to take time to resolve, he also pushed back on the negative language being used around Letterkenny University Hospital.
“There has been an unprecedented level of investment at Letterkenny University Hospital in recent years. The hospital’s budget has increased by €44 million since 2019 – an increase of 30 per cent and now stands at €187 million. Staff numbers at the hospital have increased by 23 per cent, that’s 410 whole-time equivalents, and currently stand at 2,179. So, that means there are more doctors, nurses and therapists,” he commented.

Health Minister says 'significant issues' exist in Donegal but wheels are turning

Minster Stephen Donnelly turned the sod on the new Letterkenny Community Hospital and beforehand held a meeting with local GPs and said investment, a more cohesive structure and better communication will see continued improvements

“A total of 49 additional beds have been delivered at this hospital. There has been an expansion of the gynaecology service, and the new stroke unit has opened. The hospital also has a new maternity theatre and a new endoscopy theatre, while a new MRI scanner was delivered in October.
“The waiting lists are falling; general practice is expanding, and community care is expanding.”
The health minister turned the sod on the new €59 million, 110-bed community hospital at Kilmacrennan Road directly across the road from Letterkenny University Hospital. Mr McConalogue said the facility “will be a tremendous asset to the health care services in Letterkenny and Donegal and represents the largest single investment in health care in Donegal for many years”.
"Local company, Boyle Construction, have secured the contract, so we know the work will be top class. All going to plan, the state-of-the-art hospital is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2026.”