Donna McGettigan
Question:519. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Health when the negotiations for the procurement of the site in Raheen for UHL began; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21372/26]
View answerThursday, 19 March 2026
Questions (519)
Written answers
In September 2025, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), published its independent and expert review and advice to the Minister for Health, informing decision-making around the design and delivery of urgent and emergency healthcare services in the Mid West Region. HIQA’s review identifies three potential options for the region:
• Option A: Expand capacity at University Hospital Limerick (UHL), Dooradoyle
• Option B: Extend the UHL hospital campus to include an additional adjacent site
• Option C: Develop a Model 3 hospital in the Mid West, providing a second Emergency Department
During the first half of 2025, the HSE engaged in market research, consultation, review and analysis of the market and potential available sites in the Limerick area to inform its contribution to the HIQA review.
In December 2025, the Minister for Health, having considered the expert advices from HIQA, received Government support to progress all options A, B and C.
Work to give effect to Option A, to expand capacity at the UHL Dooradoyle site is being rapidly progressed including the delivery of a new 96-bed block in October 2025 and the ongoing work to deliver a second 96-bed block and planning for an additional 16- and 66-bed block at UHL
Under Option B, following Government approval, the Minister immediately mandated the HSE to secure a suitable adjacent site for the expansion of the UHL campus. Given the preliminary work it carried out, the HSE responded to this mandate at pace. On 10 March 2026, the Minister announced that the HSE had successfully secured a site in Raheen, Limerick. The HSE purchased the site in line with its own internal governance arrangements. The newly acquired, 44-acre site, is just 2km from UHL. This is in line with the HIQA recommendation under Option B.