Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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2. To ask the Minister for Health if he will commission an appraisal of the demand for CT and MRI scanners at Monaghan Hospital, with a view to ensuring that these services are made available in Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25552/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As Minister for Health, I am committed to the ongoing development of regional hospitals, including Cavan & Monaghan Hospital, which operate together.

This Government has allocated significant resources in order to meet the needs of patients using the hospital:

• The budget for Monaghan Hospital has increased from €11m in 2021 to €14m in 2024, an increase of 27%.
• Staffing has increased by 70%, from 102 in 2020 to 174 in 2024.
• Under our bed expansion plan, a total of 97 beds will be delivered at Cavan and Monaghan Hospital by 2028. This includes 23 beds between 2021-2024 and 74 beds between 2025-2028.
• Cavan & Monaghan Hospital currently has two operating CT scanners and one MRI scanner.
• The HSE has advised my officials that clear clinical pathways already exist that support the region for access to MRI and CT scanner modality, that no service requirement has been identified for an additional MRI scanner to be installed at Monaghan Hospital, and that no business case for additional capacity has been submitted by the management of Cavan & Monaghan Hospital.
• All capital projects in the HSE have to progress through the different stages of the Public Spending Code, which at the initial stage require a detailed business case to be developed by the hospital delivering a service, ensuring value for money is achieved.