REPEATED DELAYS to the construction of a dialysis unit in Ennis have been criticised by elected representatives in Clare.
Ennis long-awaited satellite haemodialysis unit in Ennis has constantly met delays. Confirmation of the unit was announced by CEO of UL Hospitals Group, Colette Cowan in July 2024 after funding had been secured.
Correspondence issued by UL Hospitals Group last summer indicated that their tender process was complete with an interim start date of 2025 envisaged.
A renal care provider had been identified in May with the service scheduled for a late 2025 opening, however at the November sitting of the Regional Health Forum, Cllr Rita McInerney (FF) queried the matter and was informed that the service would not be up and running until the second quarter of 2026.
In a proposal before Monday’s meeting of Clare County Council, Cllr Tommy Guilfoyle (SF) called on the local authority to write to UL Hospitals Group “requesting a comprehensive update on the progress of the new haemodialysis unit in Ennis, including, a precise timeline for the commencement of services, confirmation of the unit’s location, details of the contractor and any potential delays encountered and a detailed outline of the project’s current status and any challenges preventing its timely completion”.
Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Guilfoyle said over 190 people “need this critically vital service, some of whom have to travel two and a half to three hours multiple times a week to access this vital service”. He maintained elected representatives needed to do what they could “to make the lives of the people of Clare better”.
Seconding the proposal, Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) labelled the delays to the opening as “shocking”. He outlined, “what is the delay. It is a significant issue. If they get delayed access, it can lead to severe complications”. He continued, “Urgent actions are needed to solve the delay, it is so disappointing that we’re still waiting”.
Cllr McInerney told the meeting the matter has been raised at the Regional Health Forum and that it had been promised to be “operational by 2024 and then by the end of 2025, from my last query in November, they are now talking about the second quarter of 2026, this is really urgent and we need to put the pressure on”.
Answers are needed on the stumbling blocks are needed Cllr James Ryan (SF) insisted. “It is an extremely essential service, it is unfortunately sometimes a matter of life and death”.
Mayor of the Ennis Municipal District, Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF) noted, “We all have family members and friends going through this. We’re hoping for a positive response”. Cllr Shane Talty (FF) commented, “It is a pity for service users, what they’re going through in travelling to Limerick three or four times a week, having this in Ennis would be a game-changer for them”.
Similar sentiments were voiced by Cllr Paul Murphy (FG), “It is terrible to have families in situations like this where they can’t go locally for the services they need”.
Clarity was sought by the Cathaoirleach, Cllr Alan O’Callaghan (FF) on who in UL Hospitals Group needs to receive the letter and suggested the Regional Executive Officer. “I don’t care who we write to so long as we get a reply and not one like what we got from Drew Harris, we want a detailed reply and if we don’t, I’d ask the Council to write back immediately, we’re getting no to every reply whether it is a road or services and we need to stop accepting no as an answer,” Cllr Guilfoyle responded. He also asked the local authority to promote World Kidney Day via their social media accounts.
