Green light for multi-million euro extension at Cavan General Hospital

The path has been cleared for a multi-million euro extension to the Emergency Department at Cavan General Hospital, as well as a new Endoscopy unit and 58 additional in-patient beds.

Cavan County Council signalled its intention yesterday (Tuesday) to grant planning permission to the Health Service Executive for the five-storey extension.

The news came a day after nurses reported more than 31 patients on trolleys at the local ED amidst an outbreak of the winter vomiting bug (Norovirus). It caused management to issue an escalation notice warning of long waiting times.

The hospital’s ED, staff and management have come under increasing pressure in recent years. Members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation counted 1,842 patients on trolleys at Cavan General over the course of 2024. That’s an average of five people a day. The figures have quadrupled over the past decade when 460 patients were reported on trolleys over the course of 2014.

With no objections to the new extension noted by local planners, the project is unlikely to be appealed to An Bord Pleanála. Uisce Éireann made a submission as part of the planning process in relation to connections to water services.

The plans provide for a new five-storey extension at the ED; as well as an Endoscopy Unit at ground floor level; inpatient wards on the first, second and third floors, and a plant area on fourth floor; as well as a link corridor to connect the new extension to the existing hospital.

An additional 37 car parking spaces will also be provided at the local acute hospital facility.

Nineteen conditions were attached to the planning permission.

Local authority planners had requested further information on the development, which was provided last month. The plans were originally lodged in June of last year and revised to increase inpatient bed numbers from 18 to 54.  Cavan Monaghan Fianna Fáil TD Brendan Smith has welcomed the planning.

He told The Anglo-Celt that he had consistently raised the need for additional facilities and accommodation at the local hospital with the Minister for Health, the HSE and through a number of parliamentary questions and other debates in Dáil Éireann.

“These are very welcome developments and will enhance considerably facilities at the hospital with extended and most modern accommodation, which will benefit patients from all of Cavan and Monaghan and will also facilitate staff in their delivery of healthcare,” said Deputy Smith.

He also pointed to another project being advanced at Cavan General to increase and improve the delivery of oncology services locally.

Deputy Smith is urging the HSE to press ahead with both projects.