Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. First, looking to the medium to long term and the need to ensure there are adequate facilities and infrastructure at University Hospital Galway, as the Deputy knows, we are making progress on the delivery of major capital projects that are planned for the hospital. A formal project board has now been established. We are finalising a master plan for the development of the Galway city campus, which will enhance the delivery of essential healthcare services for the population. As the Deputy knows, this includes a number of key priorities, such as a new emergency department, which is needed, a women's and children's block, a new laboratory, a new cancer centre and a bed block on the University Hospital Galway campus. The board will also oversee plans for the Merlin Park campus, including the elective hospital for the region and the surgical hub.

Progress is being made. A design team has been appointed, as has a project manager. In addition, the announcement recently by the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, of 228 new beds for the hospital will play a very important role in the improvement of the overall infrastructure at the hospital. The new beds will be provided in separate phases, with University Hospital Galway to benefit from 198 beds between this year and 2028, with a further 30 coming on stream beyond that. In the short term, we have a job of work to do because it is not acceptable to us that that number of patients are on trolleys on today. That is why the Government has very significantly increased the resources for the hospital to provide for the growing demand that is there. Staffing has grown by more than 740 to 4,500, an increase of almost 20% since 2020. In addition, the budget over the same period has grown by 21%, so that is a very significant investment by the State and we need to see the return and the performance improving as a result. Notwithstanding the trolley numbers the Deputy quoted from today, which are not acceptable and will need to be addressed, it should be acknowledged that, from January to May of this year, the University Hospital Galway trolley count showed a decrease in the year to date of 15% and we should, in the interests of balance, acknowledge that.

That is part of improvement that is happening at a national level. Progress has been seen across nearly all the acute hospital sites. With the exception, sadly, of University Hospital Limerick, we have seen reductions in the year to date of 20%. The investment is making a difference and we need to deal with the short term, the here and now, the people who are on trolleys today, which is not acceptable to the Government or the HSE, but we also need to have a plan to ensure the infrastructure is in place for a growing and ageing population in order that we can meet the needs, which are increasing all the time.

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