The formal contract has been signed for €35m critical care unit in Limerick.

The firm, John Sisk & Son Ltd, will design and build the new unit.

Brian Gilroy, of the Health Service Executive, (HSE) said: "This is one of the largest capital projects being undertaken by the HSE this year and will provide the mid-west with a state-of-the-art critical care facility.

"It is anticipated that a planning application will be lodged within the next two months with construction due to commence in August subject to achieving a grant of planning without any undue delays. The project is due to be completed by the end of 2011,"

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John O'Brien, HSE Integrated Services Manager mid-west, said the project was a key element of the reconfiguration of health services in the mid-west. "It will provide essential critical and high dependency care for patients across the region and address safety concerns raised by HIQA and other external reviews of acute health care in the region."

Dr Paul Burke, who is leading the reconfiguration project across hospitals in the region, said the facility was a tremendous boost to healthcare infrastructure of the mid-west.

"It will help ensure that critical and coronary care services of the highest level will be available and easily accessible to all people of the region."

The development will consist of a six-storey block. A 12-bed intensive care unit will be located on the first floor.

Other floors will provide a 14-bed high dependency unit and a 16-bed coronary care unit. A cardiac non-invasive investigations unit along with two catherisation laboratories and a nine-bed day ward will also be incorporated.

Strong emphasis has been placed on the segregation of users to control infection. The development has 19 full isolation rooms.

(BMcC/GK)