THE GOVERNMENT HAS been accused by opposition parties of putting plans for a new hospital in the Mid West “on the long finger” by opposition parties as plans to increase bed capacity in the region have been announced. 

This year HIQA published a review which set out that there were three options the Government could pursue to urgently address the healthcare infrastructure deficit in the region. 

These included increasing bed capacity on University Hospital Limerick’s (UHL) existing Dooradoyle site, setting up services on an adjacent site, and building a new hospital. 

The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) recommended that more beds need to be brought on stream as a matter of urgency, but in terms of meeting the healthcare needs of the region in the long term, a new hospital is the best option. 

Today Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill announced that the Government is pursuing a blend of all three options. 

There are already plans in situ for an additional 306 beds at UHL, and an additional 420 beds are planned for the region through increasing the capacity of the Ennis, Nenagh, and St John’s Hospitals. 

The HSE will be mandated to procure a site that’s adjacent to the existing Dooradoyle UHL one, and a board will be put together to consider which services should move there to decongest the main campus. 

In terms of building a new hospital, the Health Minister has said that a plan will be developed to work on that project longterm. 

Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said that she still needs to have conversations with cabinet about that option. 

Opposition politicians have pointed to the fact that the current capital budget planning for the HSE simply won’t allow for the building of a new hospital in the region. 

During leader’s questions in the Dáil today, Taoiseach Micheál Martin would not say whether increasing the HSE’s capital budget allocation up to 2030 is on the table. 

Currently the HSE is allocated €9.2 billion for the period, but building an entire hospital would cost billions, HIQA has said. 

Political reaction

The Social Democrats have accused the Government of putting plans for a new hospital “on the long finger”. 

Health Spokesperson Pádraig Rice said that another emergency department is urgently needed in the region, and what’s been offered today by the Health Minister is a “vague commitment”. 

Labour TD Alan Kelly has said that it is welcome that healthcare in this region is being treated as a priority. 

“Too many young lives have been lost in recent years due to a failure of the State to properly equip the Mid West with the standards of care that are needed,” he added. 

However, the deputy went on to say that the devil will be “in the details” as to how the Government and the HSE will actually deliver the additional 600 beds that we know are needed in the region by 2040. 

“Today needs to be the day that this Government says no more to discrimination against the Mid West when it comes to care. If you look at the South East, there are four Model 3 hospitals in South Tipperary, in Wexford, Waterford and Kilkenny. This discrimination needs to end,” Kelly said.