Written answers
Wednesday, 22 October 2025
Department of Health
Hospital Staff
Charles Ward (Donegal, 100% Redress Party)
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178. To ask the Minister for Health if she will sanction the appointment of a WTE consultant paediatric endocrinologist into Letterkenny University Hospital (LUH) which has been listed by Government and HSE guidelines as a critical resource needed since 2015, and has been included in LUH estimates for 2025, (but still not sanctioned), to fully support children with type 1 diabetes and their families living in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57491/25]
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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179. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the timeline of plans to develop a new surgical hub in Letterkenny University Hospital. [57492/25]
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I have asked the HSE, as Sponsoring Agency with day-to-day responsibility for the delivery of the surgical hubs, to respond to you directly in relation to the matters raised.
Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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180. To ask the Minister for Health her Departments progress in ensuring the second busiest level 3 hospital in the country, Letterkenny University Hospital, changed to a level 4 hospital, considering its geographical and roads/rail infrastructure isolation, and by adding much needed medical specialties to existing services, thereby making them more easily accessible to people living in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57493/25]
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As Minister for Health, I am committed to the ongoing development of Letterkenny University Hospital. This Government has allocated significant resources to Letterkenny which will benefit patients:
- The hospital budget has increased from €157 million in 2020 to €247 million in 2025, this is a 57% increase in 4 years.
- Staffing at the hospital has grown by 437 since January 2020, an increase of 25%. This includes 30 more medical staff and 137 more nurses and midwives.
- Under our hospital bed expansion plan a total of 122 beds are aimed to be delivered at Letterkenny University Hospital by 2031.
Model 4 Hospitals provide the same as Model 3 hospitals however would also be expected to have tertiary care for specialised services and these typically serve the population at a national level. University Hospital Galway (UHG) is designated as the Model 4 Tertiary Referral Hospital for the HSE West North West.
The Programme for Government committed to establishing six new elective surgical hubs (South Dublin, North Dublin, Galway, Cork, Limerick and Waterford) and exploring the feasibility of a hub in the northwest. In July, the Minister for Health announced two additional surgical hubs for the northwest will be delivered in Sligo and Letterkenny. The new hubs will be open 6 days a week, from 8am to 8pm and once operational each hub will deliver over 28,000 day-cases, minor operations and outpatient consultations annually.
In relation to Letterkenny, the HSE notes that work is underway to finalise the Design Brief, including the Schedule of Accommodation, for a Letterkenny development which includes a Surgical Hub, oncology accommodation and inpatient beds. Once this is complete, a tendering process will be undertaken to establish a Major Design Team Framework for the West & North West region. This will facilitate the engagement of a Design Team for the Letterkenny development. It is planned to commence this tendering process in the near future and the aim is to have a Design Team appointed and commencing the design phase in early 2026.
Models of care are, in the first instance, determined by the HSE including service delivery and design. Any amendments to the provision of care in Letterkenny University Hospital, including any expansion that would change the Model of Hospital, should be led by the HSE, based on service need.
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