3745. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health if the planning application for the elective hospital in Cork will be made in September 2026. [62674/26]

The Elective Care Programme is being delivered in two phases: a national network of Surgical Hubs in the first instance to meet medium term demand and capacity, and then a national network of Elective Treatment Centres (Elective Hospitals) in Cork, Galway and Dublin.

These new elective facilities will enable the separation of scheduled (elective) from unscheduled care. This will mean fewer cancellations and fewer delays for elective care caused by seasonal surges, localised outbreaks, and surges in emergency attendances. Reducing waiting times for elective cases can help to avoid patient conditions from deteriorating further while waiting for treatment. Providing additional elective care capacity will therefore lead to better health outcomes and improved quality of life for those individuals being treated and for their families. Developing increased elective care capacity will also release capacity in existing hospitals, allowing them to focus on non-elective, acute and other inpatient activity.

Detailed design is underway for the delivery of a new Elective Treatment Centre (also referred to as Elective Hospital) at St. Stephen’s Hospital in Cork. There continues to be constructive engagement with statutory authorities including Cork City Council and Transport Infrastructure Ireland in progressing a planning application for the new ETC. It remains the ambition to submit a planning application before the end of September this year.