Ciarán Ahern
Question:300. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Health her views on an issue (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4703/26]
View answerWednesday, 21 January 2026
Questions (300)
Written answers
The Minister acknowledges the distress overcrowded Emergency Departments (EDs) cause to patients, their families, and the frontline staff working in very challenging conditions in hospitals throughout the country.
The Government is committed to further reducing ED overcrowding and enhancing urgent and emergency care services nationwide. The HSE Urgent and Emergency Care Operational Plan 2025 (covering Q2 2025 – Q1 2026) is currently being implemented, continuing the HSE’s multi-annual approach to managing increased urgent and emergency care (UEC) demand and pressures.
Beaumont has seen a 33% decrease in the number of patients waiting on trolleys in 2025 compared to 2024.
To alleviate pressure on EDs, the Government is focused on expanding alternative pathways and community capacity, including:
• Expansion and Standardisation of Injury Units: Work is ongoing to standardise the opening hours of all 15 Injury Units currently operating nationally to provide a 7-day service, from 8am to 8pm.
• Virtual Wards: The continued roll-out of Virtual Wards is alleviating pressure on EDs. Following successful testing, expansion has been approved for five further sites at Mercy, Galway, Tullamore, Drogheda, and Kilkenny.
• GP Out of Hours (OOH) Service: The availability of the GP OOH service is being maintained, and capacities are being worked on to reduce the level of GP OOH referrals to EDs.