Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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1575. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the HIQA review into urgent and emergency care services in the midwest region; the date at which she expects the final report to be sent to her; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11031/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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In May 2024, HIQA was requested by the then Minister for Health to conduct a review of urgent and emergency care in the mid-west region with the primary objective of ensuring safe quality acute care in the region. As part of this review, HIQA was requested to consider the case for a second emergency department within the region in the context of the population changes in recent years and ongoing pressures at the ED at University Hospital Limerick.

HIQA submitted an interim briefing to my department on 28 February which I am reviewing with officials. The interim briefing provides a progress update on the various workstreams of the ongoing work programme. The final report of the review is expected by the end of May 2025.

This final report will advise me, informed by the evidence compiled across the various workstreams, on the appropriate course(s) of action to ensure optimal quality and safety in the delivery of future urgent and emergency care services for the population of the mid-west region. I will fully consider the final report when it is available.