It will bring the number of classrooms to 16, with school management stating the the development will help them to meet the increasing demand for student places.

The rooms will include 8 single en-suite rooms, and are set to double the existing single bedroom spaces in the hospital.

The new departure on the Dublin to Galway line will run on Fridays only.

Between January and May of this year a total of 5,172 patients left local hospitals before their treatment was finished.

The operation involved involved more than 60 Gardaí and Detectives from units including the Armed Response Unit and Dog Unit.

22 patients are currently waiting to be admitted.

Galway University Hospital has the second highest figure nationally at 48, with the third worst affected hospital being Sligo with 40 people currently waiting for admission.

Martin Daly has warned that some people who should be in hospital are instead being treated at home or in other settings.