The announcement follows final approval for the commencement of the project by HSE Senior Management Team last December. Written confirmation of this decision was received from the the Department of Health on January 25th 2016, stating that long-term funding of over €3 million per annum will be made available to run the facility from 2018, when the building is expected to be completed.
The Department’s letter states that a significant amount of work has been undertaken by the HSE in conjunction with Our Lady’s Hospice, “to progress the establishment of a new Specialist Inpatient Unit at Magheramore Co. Wicklow” and proposes the official opening of the unit upon completion of the building “towards the end of 2018”. The Wicklow Hospice Foundation is delighted that Ireland’s leading hospice service provider, Our Lady’s Hospice, Harold’s Cross, will operate the hospice in Wicklow.
The letter sent to Wicklow Minister Simon Harris confirms that “high level government and financial arrangements have now been agreed”.
Minister Harris says now that the funding has been agreed, the Wicklow Hospice facility can proceed to the next stage. “This is a project that is very close to my heart. I am very pleased that the funding agreed earlier this year, has allowed the Wicklow Hospice Foundation to move forward to tender stage. I look forward to working closely with the Wicklow Hospice Foundation to make this a reality for Wicklow.”
Chairman of Wicklow Hospice Foundation, Dr. Brendan Cuddihy says this is a landmark day for Wicklow and the WHF Board will be starting the tender process ‘immediately’.
“We are going to tender! We have the site, generously donated by the Columban Sisters, we have full planning permission and now we have government commitment to fund the running of the facility.”
“The people of Wicklow have made this happen – they put their hearts and souls into the Magheramore Hospice facility as too many of them had seen close family die in acute hospitals and denied access to inpatient specialist hospice care in their own community. This is a landmark day for Co. Wicklow.”
Following the economic downturn and the decision to extend the original 12-bed facility to a 15-bed facility to cater for the people of County Wicklow and North Wexford, the
Wicklow Hospice Foundation will be required to raise the balance of the capital building costs. However, the Foundation says the final fundraising requirements will not delay the building process.
While final costs for building will only be confirmed following the tender process, the WHF has already launched a major corporate fundraising programme and has partnered with the Worldwide Ireland Funds to launch an international fundraising campaign:
Kieran McLoughlin, President & CEO The Worldwide Ireland Funds said, “We are delighted that the Government has made this commitment to the sustainability of the Wicklow Hospice. This makes this a true Public Philanthropic Partnership. The philanthropy of the people of Wicklow and friends abroad will provide for the centre at no cost to the State. The State will then run it for the benefit of the people of Wicklow proving that, when philanthropists and the State work hand in hand, both are stronger.”
Chair of Fundraising Wicklow Hospice Foundation Evanne Cahill says while the Foundation will continue to run a robust programme of charity events in conjunction with WHF volunteers, they are adamant that the final fundraising burden will not be shouldered solely by the Wicklow public:
“Since the Wicklow Hospice Foundation was founded in 2009, in excess of €3 million has been raised by the people of Wicklow towards the costs of building the facility. The people of Wicklow have been tremendous and whilst we will continue to seek their support in raising the balance of the capital funds, we are confident that our philanthropic partnerships and corporate fundraising programmes will ensure the lion’s share of the burden does not fall on the people of Co. Wicklow.”
The building tender process is expected to take approximately six months, after which the tender will be awarded and the building will commence. The project is expected to be fully completed and open for the first patients by the end of 2018.
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