Construction BUSINESS

Minister for Mental Health, Social Care and Primary Care Kathleen Lynch has turned the sod yesterday on the new National Forensic Mental Health Service (NFMHS) hospital, which will be built on the site of St. Ita’s Hospital, Portrane.

Once completed, which is expected by the end of 2018, this new state-of-the-art facility will replace the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum.

The construction of the new hospital is one of the Government’s priority projects in the Capital Investment Plan 2016 – 2020 and marks an important milestone on the path to providing a modern mental health service.

The NFMHS hospital will comprise of a 120 bed Adult Forensic Hospital, together with a 10 bed Forensic Child & Adolescent Unit, and a 10 bed Forensic Mental Health Intellectual Disability Unit on the same site within the St. Ita’s Hospital campus.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Lynch said :

“This new hospital represents our modern approach to mental health.  It symbolises this government’s commitment to prioritising mental health in an open and progressive manner. This commitment has been underpinned by the allocation of €120m in the HSE Capital Programme 2016-2020 to deliver this project. This makes it the third biggest health capital project being progressed by the State in the current capital plan.”