Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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71. To ask the Minister for Health if Naas General Hospital will be considered for an extension to accommodate the population growth in its catchment area. [27923/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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In January 2018, I published the Health Service Capacity Review which made clear that we need additional capacity across nearly all areas of the health service over the next decade. The review acknowledged the demographic challenge facing the Irish health service in the near future due to our growing population, with our over 65 population set to increase by nearly 60% and the over 85 population set to double. These latter two groups are high users of health services and it is important that we invest in order to provide safe and timely care to the whole population.  

Arising from the findings of the Capacity Review, the Government committed to investing in an extra 2,600 beds in our hospitals and 4,500 more community beds in the National Development Plan over the period to 2027.  

 The Capacity Review also acknowledged the need for reform of the health service and provided projections based on reform scenarios that align with the Sláintecare vision and reform programme.  It is also clear we should not plan investments in the health service as it is currently configured. Investment and reform should go hand in hand with each driving the other.  

Any proposals for an extension to Naas General Hospital will be considered in the context of service reform requirements overall in the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group and subject to the availability of capital funding and the progress of other priority projects.