"Zero funding" for two major health facilities for County Galway - which require €32 million to be built - have been allocated this year, and funding for the projects in 2021 looks uncertain.
This is the view of Tuam area councillor, Donagh Killilea, who, at Tuesday's regional health forum, questioned officials on the lack of capital funding available to complete two major projects in Tuam - the €13 million funding needed to start the Mental Health and Disabilities day hospital and the €19 million required to complete the newly proposed residential Care Home facility.
'To say I am disappointed is an understatement' - Cllr Donagh Killilea
It also emerged, following a meeting with Department of Health officials and Minister Mary Butler that the capital funding for Tuam is not on the 2020 allocation and that any funding for 2021 will have to compete with all other capital projects, including the national children’s hospital.
Cllr Killilea described this as "a massive let down for the people in Tuam, and Galway, waiting on such vital services", and he accused "ministers and former ministers” of "misleading the awaiting service users”.
"To say I am disappointed is an understatement," he said. "All we can do is wait until October to see if Tuam will make the short listing for funding. I pleaded with Minister Butler to ensure money is in place to progress this shovel ready site in January 2021."
