Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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128. To ask the Minister for Health the number of unitised beds in Monaghan Hospital, by category. [24144/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The Government is committed to the ongoing development of all regional hospitals including Monaghan. Cavan General and Monaghan Hospitals operate as a single hospital, with integrated managerial and clinical governance systems, care pathways and support functions.

Monaghan Hospital has 80 beds. This is an increase of 26 beds, or 48% since 2020. The beds at Monaghan hospital are utilised across 60 non-acute inpatient beds and 20 day-case beds. Of the inpatient beds, 20 are for rehabilitation and 40 for step-down patients. Patients admitted to Monaghan Hospital are typically transferred from Tertiary Hospitals and must meet the criteria of Monaghan Hospital to be admitted.

Bed allocation and occupancy rates at the hospitals have varied from time to time. This is typically due to factors such as infection prevention and control measures, building works and criteria for patient admission.

Figures show overall bed occupancy at 85% or higher over the past year. For rehabilitation beds, the average occupancy rates are 95% from January 2024 to present. Between January and February this year there was a 14% decrease in admissions. This is attributed to infection control issues plus the shorter month of February.

The Government is committed to ongoing investment in Monaghan Hospital and to maximising its use for patients in the region.