that his submission to Ennis Town Council’s planning depart- ment was “not in anyway an objec- tion to the planning application. I just thought these questions should be asked.
“T want to emphasise that the plan- ning permission was solely about building and design and in no way decided on services.”
Mr Madden who now lives in Kil- rush and is a member of the En- nis General Hospital Development Committee said the council needed to consider the points made in his submission before it made any deci- sion.
In his submission, Mr Madden urged the town council to find out When the Health Service Executive (HSE) was going to make the Team- work consultants’ report public.
Teamwork is carrying out a report on hospital services in the mid west – a similar report in the northeast recommended that downgrading of A&E services at several hospitals.
Mr Madden told the council, ““Man- agement consultant who conducted a ‘value for money audit’ of the hospi- tal last year did not consider options to demolish and build new on the existing site or building a hospital on a ‘greenfield’ site because of the hospital’s protected status.
“It would seem, therefore, that the HSE did not tell the management consultants of the current applica- tion and that it required the removal of the hospital’s protected status. It also strengthens the suspicions that the current application was only agreed prior to the general election for largely political considerations.”
He added, “At the time of writ- ing, the teamwork reports has not been made public. However, reliable information obtained some weeks ago indicated the first draft of the teamwork report recommended the downgrading of the existing A&E Department to a nurse-led local in- jury unit. The hospital would eftfec-
tively become a day care facility.
“They should be asked whether the existing in-patient bed capacity is sufficient in taking account of the concerns expressed by management consultants last year.
“It should also be noted that the 186 bed capacity would only be reached on completion of Phase 3 of the hos- pital’s development. The HSE should be asked when they expect Phase 2 or 3 to proceed.”
Mr Madden asked that the HSE should be asked if the first phase of development will require the closure or any part of the hospital and if so for so long.”
He added, “They should also be asked to indicate a best-worst case scenario for the time required to complete the development and the anticipated cost increases because of the complexity of the development.”
A decision on the planning applica- tion is due on July 13, but the com- plexity of the planning application could see that date postponed as a substantial amount of further infor- mation will be required by the Town Council from the Health Service Ex- ecutive (HSE).
The development proposed consists of the demolition of existing single storey extensions and the original Chapel to the rear of the main hos- pital and the provision of a new two storey extension incorporating the much talked about new A and E, Radiology and Outpatient Facilities at ground floor level, new medical wards and a surgical ward at first floor level with a new day theatre at first floor level over the existing Acute Psychiatric Unit.
The plans also include the refur- bishment of the south west wing of the existing main hospital building at first floor level to provide new day care unit facilities with a four storey central block incorporating shell at second floor level, and plant room at third floor level in addition to the provision of a new Site exit onto the Highfield Road together with gen- erator/medical gas compounds and ancillary, associated and enabling works on the site which includes buildings listed as protected struc- tures within the site curtilage.