The announcement was made yesterday (Thursday) by Health Minister Michael McGimpsey when he visited the hospital.

The expansion will include an extension to the delivery suite, more staffing and an upgrade of accommodation for mothers and babies.
Craigavon's maternity unit has seen a big increase in births in the past five years, with 3,795 births in 2007/08 compared to 2,850 births in 2003/2004 - an increase of almost 1,000.

The plans include more staffing for the midwifery led unit, which delivers around 600 babies every year.

A spokesperson for the Southern Health and Social Care Trust welcomed the announcement and said it was "the green light" for its review of maternity services.

The trust is planning for 6,500 births in the southern trust area every year, spread between Craigavon Hospital and Daisy Hill Hospital. At present, Daisy Hill has around 2,200 births every year.

She added, "This announcement is a real vote of confidence in services provided at Craigavon Hospital.

"It is also a tremendous boost for mothers and babies in the southern trust area."

Mr McGimpsey said, "Our maternity services face a number of challenges. There is an increasing birth rate across Northern Ireland. This is particularly evident in the southern trust area and in the east of the province.

"This increasing birth rate means maternity services must be developed to meet some immediate pressures.

"I want to ensure that the services weprovide are of a high quality, are safe for mothers and babies and are configured to serve us well into the future.

"This proposed development will significantly improve both the access to and quality of services for women in the Southern Trust area."

It is widely believed that Craigavon Hospital will also have to accommodate patients from Lagan Valley Hospital if the downgrading of its maternity unit goes ahead.