The HSE West has declined to say when it will return the helicopter landing pad site for University Hospital Galway back to the community.
The helipad built on a community green space at UHG was supposed to be ‘temporary’, but several years on, and it’s still being used for aircraft landings.
Despite being asked repeatedly to disclose when the land would be returned to the community, the HSE did not give a date – or even a commitment that it would be returned.
The issue, which has caused controversy for Shantalla and Newcastle residents, was raised by city councillor Niall McNelis (Lab) at the latest HSE West Regional Health Forum meeting.
Cllr McNelis said three years or more after the HSE assured the public that the landing pad would be a ‘temporary’ facility, it is still being used daily.
Cllr McNelis said he acknowledged there was a great demand for the service, but he said the HSE cannot go back on its word.
Ann Cosgrove, Chief Officer of Saolta University Hospital Group, in her written and oral response, did not answer the question about when the land will be given back to community use.
She said she has a meeting with City Council officials in the coming weeks and this would be on the agenda. She agreed residents would have to be consulted.
“It was intended to be a temporary relocation but it took longer than expected,” she said.
The ‘temporary relocation’ took place, she said, to facilitate the construction of a carpark in advance of the building of the new mental health unit and radiation facility.
Improvement works have been carried out on the original helipad are at UHG including lighting, replacement of windows at Paediatrics, trees were trimmed to improve visibility and bollards were installed.
However, she said, “additional works may be required on the new tri-level car park following Air Corps/Coastguard trial flights into the original helipad”.
She said “discussions are ongoing” with the Council with regard the future use of the temporary helipad. She confirmed there were some 222 helicopter landings at UHG so far this year up to the middle of September.
Cllr McNelis said: “This sounds like it is a permanent thing, not a temporary thing.”