HSE to meet families over delays to Buncrana Community Hospital

Senior management from the Health Service Executive (HSE) is set to meet with families and local representatives later this month amid growing frustration over ongoing delays to the redevelopment of Buncrana Community Hospital.

The meeting, scheduled for this Monday afternoon, April 20, was confirmed by Fianna Fáil councillor and Leas Cathaoirleach of the Inishowen Municipal District, Fionán Bradley, following what he described as extensive efforts to secure engagement from the health authority. Councillor Bradley noted that the intervention of Minister Charlie McConalogue also helped bring about the long-awaited talks. 

Cllr Bradley said it was essential that local families be included in the delegation, particularly those directly impacted by the lack of progress. Many have relatives currently in the hospital’s nursing unit, while others have family members forced to seek care elsewhere in the county due to limited capacity.

“I insisted in my engagement with the senior management of the HSE that the delegation must include local people, some of whom organised and took part in the protest back in March.”

The meeting comes as a welcome development for campaigners, including the Inish Theatre Group, who, alongside affected families, have voiced increasing concern in recent months. Campaigners have criticised what they described as a lack of meaningful engagement from HSE management, pointing in particular to the absence of any response following a protest held outside the hospital in March.

Further frustration followed correspondence issued to local TDs and councillors, which, campaigners claimed, indicated little or no progress on the long-delayed redevelopment.

The project has faced repeated setbacks. Construction was originally due to begin last June, but failed to get underway. After an initial three-month delay, works were rescheduled for September, only to be postponed again until early this year. With the latest update indicating a start date in the third quarter of the year, the project is now expected to be at least 12 months behind schedule.

Once completed, the redevelopment will include a single-storey extension housing six single-bed wards, along with a waiting area and a visitors’ room. Plans also provide for the conversion of an existing smoking room into a new day room for residents.

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In recent months, Donegal was allocated €35.98 million under the Health Service Capital Plan for 2026, with €1.4 million earmarked for refurbishment works at Buncrana Community Nursing Unit. However, families remain concerned about the continued delays and the impact on patient care.

Last month, campaigners called on Integrated Healthcare Area Manager Dermot Monaghan to visit Buncrana and meet directly with those affected.