The Department of Health has announced a £45 million development programme for Longford-Westmeath General Hospital in Mullingar. The funding will allow the opening of a new wing which has been vacant for four years and will increase the number of beds from 198 to 296.
A local lobby group yesterday welcomed the announcement, having earlier this week criticised the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, for "dithering" about the decision while people remained on waiting lists.
The so-called Phase 2B of the hospital will include a number of departments, including an acute psychiatric unit and an occupational therapy unit.
Mr Martin said the development represented a major boost for the midland region.
Ms Peggy Nolan, chairwoman of the Longford Health Services Action Committee, welcomed the announcement yesterday, saying: "Phase 2B would have come on stream anyway. But it was a waste of public money to see this unit lying idle for four years while staff worked in cramped conditions, looking out at an empty wing."
Meanwhile, SIPTU yesterday said it was becoming increasingly concerned at the lack of Government action to improve the quality of health services.
Mr Jack O'Connor, vice-president, said continuation of the "inequitable, two-tier" system was incompatible with the concept of social partnership.