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09 Sept 2025
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09 Sept 2025
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St Columba's Hospital in Thomastown
An important addition to the health infrastructure in Kilkenny is set to be completed this autumn, it has been revealed in the Dáil.
Following a question to the Minister for Health from Carlow Kilkenny TD Peter 'Chap' Cleere, it has been set out that the new Community Nursing Unit at St Columba's Hospital in Thomastown will finish construction in 'Q3 2025.'
The new Community Nursing Unit in Thomastown will be a 95-bed, purpose-built facility to support the older population of south and central Kilkenny. It will support discharges from St Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny and University Hospital, Waterford.
Deputy Cleere welcomed the update on the development, which will be an important support for the people of the county, offering step-down care and supports to those recovering from illness.
Following construction completion and commissioning of the new build, the new building must be registered with HIQA as per the legislation set out in Schedule 1 of the Health Act 2007 (Registration of Designated Centres for Older People) Regulations 2015, as amended.
Workforce planning is progressing across all staff disciplines to ensure the required complement and skill mix of staff is in place to facilitate the operational schedule.
Once the Community Nursing Unit is registered, a timeline will be confirmed for services to be put in place.
In 2016 a Capital Programme for Older Persons Residential Centres was developed in response to the introduction of HIQA’s National Residential Care Standards for Older People and the requirement that all facilities providing long stay beds be registered by HIQA. This is a programme to replace, upgrade and refurbish Community Nursing Units (CNUs), as appropriate, at 89 locations.
The Community Nursing Unit at Thomastown, are being delivered through Public-Private Partnership (PPP).
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