Naoise Ó Muirí (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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848. To ask the Minister for Health the number of acute hospitals with appointed end-of-life care coordinators; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25753/25]

Naoise Ó Muirí (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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850. To ask the Minister for Health the amount of funding provided by her Department to the Irish Hospice Foundation in 2024 and 2025 to support the hospice friendly hospital programme and the network of end-of-life care coordinators in acute hospitals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25755/25]

Naoise Ó Muirí (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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851. To ask the Minister for Health the number of hospitals that applied for a design and dignity grant fund to improve end-of-life care in 2024; the number of projects grant funded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25756/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 848, 850 and 851 together.

The Government is committed to enhancing palliative care services to provide the best end of life and bereavement support for patients, families and carers. The total national palliative care budget in 2025 is over €184 million – a 15% increase on 2024 and a 50% increase on 2020.

The Irish Hospice Foundation received €2.2 million in 2024 from the Department of Health to deliver a range of programs associated with palliative, end-of-life and bereavement care. These programs, run in conjunction with the HSE, include Hospice Friendly Hospitals, Nursing for Night Care and Caru Nursing Home Program.

The annual funding provided to the Irish Hospice Foundation for Hospice Friendly Hospitals in 2024 was €250,000 for the Hospice Friendly Hospital program and associated Final Journeys training.

The IHF will receive €250,000 again for the Hospital Friendly Hospital/Final Journeys program in 2025. The total funding allocated this year to the IHF was €2.1 million.

Hospice Friendly Hospitals is a partnership program coordinated by the Irish Hospice Foundation in conjunction with the HSE and 46 acute hospitals nationwide. The purpose is to implement best practice in the approach to end-of-life, palliative and bereavement care in the hospital setting. A core element of the Hospice Friendly Hospital program is the delivery of a one-day Final Journeys workshop to healthcare staff across HSE/Section 38 acute hospitals.

In 2024, 2,882, healthcare staff attended Final Journeys training across adult, paediatric and private hospital settings.

There are 21 End of Life Coordinators in 46 acute hospitals - adult, paediatric and maternity. The End of Life Coordinators facilitate networks for hospital staff to deliver training; and to advise and lead on the implementation of the Hospice Friendly Hospital program in acute hospitals. The 21 End of Life Coordinators are funded by the Department of Health and employed by the HSE/Acute Hospitals directly.

The Design and Dignity grant fund is a partnership between the Hospice Friendly Hospital program and HSE Estates. It aims to transform hospital spaces to improve the environment for patients and families receiving end-of-life and bereavement care in hospitals.

Since its launch in 2010, Design & Dignity has funded 52 various initiatives that provide private, respectful, and tranquil spaces for patients and families at end-of-life in hospitals. This includes: the development of palliative care suites; family rooms with overnight accommodation; rooms for bereaved families; bereavement suites in emergency department; and family-friendly mortuaries across the country.

In 2024, seven hospitals received support from architects to develop drawings and apply for Design and Dignity or mortuary capital funding. Four hospitals were awarded funding in 2024, with the remaining three applications still in development and expected to be submitted in 2025.