John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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351. To ask the Minister for Health if the 37 surge beds at University Hospital Kerry will be in place for winter 2018-2019 in line with the recommendations of the health service capacity review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43165/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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€10 million in funding is being made available in 2019 to enable additional acute beds to be opened for Winter 2019/2020. This is the first step in the process of implementing the Capacity Plan which identifies over 600 acute beds to be phased in by the end of 2020, including 33 additional beds in Kerry University Hospital. 

My Department is currently in discussions with the HSE, in the context of the National Service Plan 2019, to agree a capacity programme for 2019 that maximises this investment and supports the management of winter pressures into the future.