The Health Service Executive has confirmed that the new regional hospital for the northeast is unlikely to be built for several years.
It had been expected the new 750-bed hospital would be up and running in Navan by 2015 but that target will not now be met.
When the HSE published a report in 2006 on the provision of hospital services in the northeast, one of its core recommendations was the construction of a new regional hospital.
The HSE had included the new regional hospital in its National Development Plan for 2009 to 2013.
In the meantime, many services were to be moved from smaller hospitals to the larger institutions in the area.
However, given the current economic climate it says it will not go ahead during the lifetime of this plan.
The HSE has confirmed that it is to be included in the next plan after 2013.
A spokesperson for the HSE said its current focus is to advance the controversial plan to move all acute services into Cavan General Hospital and Our lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda.
It has already moved services from Monaghan General Hospital to Cavan.
