David Cullinane
Ceist:894. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if she will ensure the use of the Crumlin Hospital site for key worker housing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37934/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 8 July 2025
Ceisteanna (894)
Freagraí scríofa
The Government is acutely aware of the housing challenges faced by many sectors of society, including key workers. Housing policy is a priority matter for Government, led by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Housing for All, Ireland's housing plan to 2030, contains a suite of actions that have and continue to increase the provision of housing through accelerating supply and increasing the affordability of homes.
The critical importance of both housing and health care is clearly recognised in the recent Government approved revised National Planning Framework (NPF) (April 2025). The framework promotes the integration of health services with other community services, such as housing, education, and transportation. Given the cross-cutting nature of policy areas such as housing and healthcare, my Department and the HSE have active and continuous engagement with stakeholders across a variety of fora. This includes ongoing work with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, in areas such as the Health Housing Planning Model and the Housing for All plan.
The Children’s Health Act 2018 provided for the establishment of Children’s Health Ireland (CHI). Under that legislation, the board of Crumlin voluntarily transferred its assets and liabilities to the new entity, CHI. As such, the Crumlin hospital campus has transferred to CHI.
In May 2024, Government noted that Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown and the current site of CHI at Crumlin had been identified to be brought forward into the planning phase for two new elective hospitals in Dublin. These are in addition to those sites already identified in Galway (Merlin Park University Hospital) and Cork (St Stephen's Hospital, Sarsfield Court).
Since then, work has been ongoing to consider how an elective hospital might be incorporated into the Crumlin campus, following the decant of CHI services into NCHI. This has included early engagement with the statutory planning authority.
The new Elective Hospitals will support the separation of scheduled (elective) and emergency care, delivering nearly one million procedures, treatments and diagnostics each year. This will lead to improved care for patients with fewer cancellations and delays. Together with the new Surgical Hubs, this significant expansion in elective facilities is required to drive down waiting lists and address continued demand for elective care services into the future.