Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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720. To ask the Minister for Health the number of additional permanent ICU beds that will be delivered in quarters 1, 2, 3 and 4 of 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7808/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is committed to addressing the long-standing deficit in critical care capacity.  Very significant funding of €77 million has been provided by Government across 2021 and 2022, to increase national capacity to 340 critical care beds by 2023.

To date, an additional 42 beds have been opened, bringing permanent adult critical care capacity from 255 beds in early 2020 to 297 beds now. 

A further 28 critical care beds are expected to open in 2022, bringing the total number of critical care beds to 325 by year end. The HSE has advised that 11 of these beds are likely to be open in Q1, with one further bed to open in each of Q2 and Q3, and the remainder in Q4. However, achievement of these timelines will be contingent on recruitment of the necessary staff and completion of capital projects. I am acutely conscious of the need to drive fastest possible implementation of the Strategic Plan for Critical Care and my Department is in ongoing engagement with the HSE in this regard.

The Strategic Plan for Critical Care, which I brought to Government in December 2020, will when implemented fully address the recommendation of the 2018 Health Service Capacity Review for 430 critical care beds by 2031. In fact, it surpasses that recommendation, delivering an increase in capacity to 446 over time.