3655. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Health her plans to include the information contained in the CSO report 'Measuring Distance to Services in Ireland 2026 - Health Services' in health service and budgetary planning; if she will commit to reviewing the urgent and emergency health care provision for west and north Clare in light of the findings; if she will commit further resources in 2026 and 2027 to the NAS for the mid-west region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57261/26]

This Government is working to address the challenges facing acute care in the Mid West. This is in line with the Programme for Government commitments to increase capacity and open more beds across the Mid West, and to consider all of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) recommendations regarding the provision of urgent and emergency care in the region. In September 2025, HIQA, published its independent and expert review and recommendation to inform decision-making around the design and delivery of urgent and emergency healthcare services in the Mid West Region. After considering the expert advice from HIQA, in December 2025 Government agreed to progress with a blend of the proposed HIQA options A, B and C necessary to respond to the challenges in the Mid West. Work to give effect to Option A, to expand capacity at the University Hospital Limerick (UHL) Dooradoyle site is being rapidly progressed. This includes the delivery of a new 96-bed block in October 2025 and two 16 bed blocks completed in 2024 and 2025, with construction of an additional 16 beds underway to be completed by the end of 2026. The contract was recently awarded for the main construction works to deliver a second 96-bed block and a design team has been appointed for an additional 66 bed block at UHL. Across Ennis, St John's and Nenagh Model 2 Hospitals, an additional 114 beds are planned by 2031. In total, 420 regional beds are expected to be delivered in the region. On 10 March 2026, the Health Service Executive (HSE) successfully secured a site in Raheen, Limerick close to UHL. The 44-acre site is just 2 km from UHL and provides a significant opportunity to provide meaningful additional capacity and health services to the people of Limerick, Clare and Tipperary. This is in line with the HIQA recommendation Option B. To progress options B and C, a Mid West Health Planning Board is being established to provide strategic direction and oversight of the development of a comprehensive strategic plan for the organisation of services and investment in the Mid West to ensure a sustainable, region-wide model of care. The Board will focus on how services can be organised across hospital, community, primary care, and pre-hospital services. This includes looking at how care can be provided closer to home, where appropriate, how pressure on University Hospital Limerick (UHL) can be reduced, and how existing and future locations can best work together for the whole region. With regards to the National Ambulance Services (NAS) investment has increased significantly over the last two years. This year, investment of €20 million is being provided for an additional 263 positions with the focus on improving ambulance response times and the further development of intermediate care services, alternative care pathways and specialist services. In the Mid-West region three additional Emergency Ambulances (EA) are being deployed to Ennistymon, Kilrush and Nenagh as well as an additional Intermediate Care Vehicle (ICV) and Community Paramedic, which will both be based in Ennis. Furthermore, as part of the nearly €50 million investment this year in capital funding, construction of a new state-of-the-art ambulance base in Rosbrien is set to complete by the year-end. A new Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS), operating out of Sligo airport and serving the West and North-West of the country, including the Mid-West, recently commenced test flights and is expected to begin full operations in September. We are focused on ensuring that the recommendations arising from HIQA’s assessment are implemented in a timely and coordinated manner, and that people across the Mid West have access to safe, high-quality, and reliable care.