Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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2181. To ask the Minister for Health the current position regarding a project (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44998/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The development of a new specialist palliative care inpatient unit at Tullamore is a named priority area for action in this year’s HSE National Service Plan and HSE Capital Plan.

As Minister, I am fully committed to the building of a new Midlands Hospice. In September 2022, the Government announced €20 million in capital funding for the development of a 20-bed specialist palliative care inpatient unit in the Midlands. The development will provide a hub for the provision of specialist palliative care services across the Midlands, including day care, outpatient, inpatient and community services.

In September 2024, the Government announced that a new hospice will be built at the ‘Arden Lane’ site in Tullamore, Co. Offaly. The selected site was identified as the most feasible following a structured options appraisal. Planning permission was submitted in April 2025 with a decision on approval anticipated shortly.

New hospice builds are being progressed in Cavan, Drogheda and Tullamore. This is in line with recommendations in the National Adult Palliative Care Policy. Once completed, there will be a hospice serving every region of the country.

As part of the current Programme for Government, we will ‘continue to invest in palliative care to achieve full national coverage of hospice and community services. We will also continue to fund our National Adult Palliative Care Policy.’

The Government will continue to prioritise our palliative care services, working towards the highest possible quality of end-of-life care and support for people with life limiting illnesses across the country. The total national palliative care budget in 2025 is over €184 million – a 15% increase on 2024 and a 50% increase on 2020.