Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for his question. It is very timely as we head into the winter months and face the normal challenges we see in our acute hospitals. I welcome the opportunity to update the House on the new 60-bed ward block at University Hospital Limerick.

The hospital is a model 4 hospital which provides major surgery, cancer care treatment and emergency care in the region as well as a range of other medical, diagnostic and therapeutic services. As the Senator has said, it covers Clare, Limerick, north Tipperary and other areas. All critical care services are located here and it has one of the busiest emergency departments in Ireland. It provides the only 24-7 emergency service in the University of Limerick Hospital Group.University Hospital Limerick is one of the eight designated cancer centres in the country. This 60-bed ward block will have three wards comprising of 20 single room occupancy, with en-suite facilities, two of which will be full isolation facilities and will provide care and treatment for patients from admission to discharge. The 60 single rooms will improve patient comfort, safety, privacy and dignity, and assist with the management of infection control in the hospital. The additional 60 beds will also directly increase bed capacity, allowing patients access to an increased overall bed stock and improve patient flow across the hospital. The nub of the Senator's question is on timelines and the 60-bed ward block at University Hospital Limerick is expected to be completed by 30 October 2020. Once the three 20-bed inpatient wards in the new building are stocked with consumables and given a final clean, they are expected to be ready to be put into operation by Monday, 9 November 2020.

The health capital allocation in 2020 is €774 million for the construction and equipping of health facilities. Additional capital of €125 million was voted in by Government to cover Covid-19 infrastructural works. The HSE capital plan determines the projects that can progress, having regard to the available capital funding, the number of large national capital projects currently under way and the relevant priority of each project.

I reiterate that the 60-bed ward is expected to be completed by 30 October, at which point the three 20-bed inpatient wards in the new building will be stocked with consumables and given a final clean. They are expected to be ready to be put into operation by Monday, 9 November 2020 so I am sure the people of that area will welcome this news today.