Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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2449. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated annual per unit cost of permanently adding additional ICU beds to the public health system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37865/21]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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2452. To ask the Minister for Health the number of additional ICU beds which have been provided since March 2020; the location of same; if these will be permanently retained or if a portion is temporary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37868/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 2449 and 2452 together.

At the start of last year, permanent adult critical care capacity in Ireland stood at 255 beds, according to the National Office of Clinical Audit. Funding for a further 40 adult critical care beds was provided on a temporary basis in March 2020 as part of the response to Covid-19 in March 2020.

A Strategic Plan for Critical Care was noted by Government in December 2020. This Plan aims to increase capacity to 321 by end-2021 and to 446 in the longer term. Funding of €52m provided for 2021 will see the 40 beds provided in 2020 retained permanently and a further 26 added, to bring permanent baseline capacity to 321 by the end of 2021. The HSE has advised that 42 of these 66 beds are now in place, with the number open on any particular day fluctuating as a result of a variety of factors. Details in relation to the number of beds which are now open permanently are set out in the table below.

Regarding the estimated annual per unit cost of permanently adding additional ICU beds to the public health system, the cost of a critical care bed has several determining factors. The HSE has advised that a new critical care bed will typically cost between €1m and €1.5m, depending on a variety of factors, including design, construction, equipping and all other associated capital costs. The HSE has advised that the average annual cost of running a critical care bed has been estimated by the HPO, based on 2018 data, to be €747k per annum. However, it should be noted that this figure includes costs for both ICU and HDU beds, with the ICU beds the more expensive of the two.