Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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643. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to find interim solutions to the overcrowding in the emergency department at University Hospital, Limerick; if modular units are under consideration; the timeframe for such units; the other measures being developed to provide access to diagnostics and other services in the community that would avoid the necessity to go to the emergency department; his further plans to expand the services in ancillary hospitals in Ennis, Nenagh and St. John's Hospital Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14961/18]

Tom Neville (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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884. To ask the Minister for Health if a modular unit will be granted to University Hospital Limerick as a short term measure to improve bed capacity; if this will be integrated with an already rolling out modular project in order to further fast track; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15923/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 643 and 884 together.

Against a background of growing demand for unscheduled care and high acute hospital occupancy rates, Government provided €30m in 2017 and a further €40m in 2018 for measures to increase acute hospital capacity and alleviate overcrowding in Emergency Departments.  Consequently, over 200 additional beds have been opened this winter across a range of sites, including 17 beds in University Hospital Limerick.

As the Deputy will be aware, my Department has undertaken a Health Service Capacity Review in line with the Programme for a Partnership Government commitment, the findings of which conclude that by 2031 nearly 2,600 additional acute hospital beds will be required in the system.  

In view of the current pressures on the hospital system, which particularly impact on EDs, my Department is working with the HSE to develop a plan to identify the location and mix of beds across the hospital system which can be opened this year and into 2019 to alleviate overcrowding in our hospital EDs and improve preparedness for Winter 2018/2019.

As part of this process, I understand that the HSE has brought forward a range of proposals to increase bed capacity across the hospital system, which include the use of modular builds in certain sites.  My Department is currently examining these proposals. No final decisions have been made at this time.  However, I can assure the Deputy that this work is being undertaken with the highest priority by my Department.  

Finally, a review of the Winter Initiative 2017/18 is currently being undertaken, which will inform the development of a three year unscheduled care plan, and the identification of measures to improve ED performance next winter.