Joe Cooney (Clare, Fine Gael)
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2612. To ask the Minister for Health the reforms being introduced to address overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick; and the improvements achieved in this regard since January 2025. [46941/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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This Government is fully committed to improving services in the Mid-West region.

There has been significant investment in additional capacity at UHL and a package of wide-ranging measures is being implemented, aimed at increasing capacity as well as reform of the health system in the Mid West, including increased staffing levels and further implementation of safe staffing.

Investment in the hospitals in the region has increased from €370 million in 2019 to over €689 million in 2024. The UHL budget has increased from €265 million to €507 million in the same period. This investment has enabled staffing at the hospital to grow by 50% from 2,814 Whole Time Equivalents (WTE) in 2019 to 4,225 WTE in July of this year.

140 new beds have opened in UHL since January 2020, including a 16-bed rapid build unit delivered in December of last year and a second in June of this year. 96 new beds are due to open later this month and enabling works are underway for a second 96 bed block. Overall, 572 new inpatient beds will be delivered in the region between 2020 and 2031.

UHL is one of two national test sites for acute virtual wards and has been fully operational since July 2024.

As part of the Government's ambulatory care strategy a national network of Surgical Hubs and four new Elective Care Centres are being developed. The construction of the Limerick Surgical Hub at the former Scoil Carmel site is well underway and it is expected to become operational in the second half of 2026.

In preparation for Winter 2025, work is underway to improve ED overcrowding and patient flow. The Urgent and Emergency Care Operational Plan 2024/25 provides a comprehensive framework, covering hospital avoidance, ED operations, in-hospital care delivery, and discharge management. This includes promoting vaccination uptake, expanding alternative care pathways, ensuring senior decision-makers in ED, and consistent implementation of patient flow protocols. Implementation of initiatives will continue as part of the 2025/26 Urgent and Emergency Care Operational Plan, which is currently under review.

Other initiatives to enhance patient flow and avoid unnecessary ED presentations being implemented include extending the opening hours at Medical Assessment Units at Ennis and Nenagh Hospitals. Seven-day working and extended hours across all services continues to be implemented. Work also continues to enhance discharge processes to support patients prior to midday, seven days a week.

In 2024, HIQA was instructed to lead a review into urgent and emergency care capacity in the Mid-West region, including consideration of the need for a second ED. A final report is expected at the end of this month which I will fully consider to ensure the appropriate actions are taken for optimal quality and safety in the delivery of future urgent and emergency care services for the people of the Mid West region.

The Programme for Government commits to continuing to increase capacity and open more beds at UHL and across the Mid-West and to take account of the HIQA recommendations.