Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 January 2026
199. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health if she will address the overcrowding in the accident and emergency department, and the trolley crisis, at University Hospital Kerry as a matter of priority by expediting the development of the new 108-bed block on the hospital campus; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6791/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs our health system is in the midst of the busiest period of the year, I would like to assure the deputy that every measure is being taken to ensure that overcrowding is kept to a minimum in Kerry University Hospital and all hospitals across the country.
The third iteration of the UEC Operational Plan is currently in operation and one of the 4 pillars of the plan is hospital avoidance. This focuses on supporting patients in settings other than the Emergency Department and avoiding the need for inpatient care.
Amongst the initiatives involved in the plan are:
• Vaccine Preventable Illness, promote uptake of Influenza, Measles and COVID-19 vaccinations to improve compliance for all target groups including Healthcare Workers Specialist Care in the Community.
• Community Specialist Teams (CSTs) for Chronic Disease Management.
• GP Out of Hours Work with GP Out of Hours Services to maintain/increase GP OOH contacts and reduce the level of GP OOH referrals to EDs.
• NAS Care Pathways Maximise usage of existing NAS alternative care pathways.
• Injury Units to provide a 7-day service, 8am to 8pm including Bank Holidays.
In addition to these measures the HSE has made provisions to bolster GP services with the addition of 20,000 hours available through the GP Surgery Enhanced Service to target respiratory issues which will run from December 8th to February 15th inclusive.
Mask wearing is just one of the measures we can all take to protect ourselves from infection this winter and lessen the pressures on our EDs. Individuals who wish to wear a mask should not be discouraged from doing so, in particular when disease incidence is high. Measures such as vaccinations, good hand hygiene and cough and sneeze etiquette are also important in preventing the spread of infections.
This winter COVID-19 and Flu Vaccines are available to eligible individuals by GPs and pharmacists.
Expansion of community care and other measures to provide people the care they need outside of the ED can improve patient flow in acute hospitals by reducing unnecessary attendances and improving discharge supports such as home support and residential care. This will allow our ED resources to be better utilised, delivering care to those most urgently in need.
There has been a significant increase in investment in University Hospital Kerry since 2020. The budget for UHK has increased from €112 million in 2020 to almost €185 million in 2025, an increase of 67% over this period.
The Department has also invested in staffing at the hospital. Staffing has increased by 31% (376) since the end of December 2020 (1,215) to end of October 2025 (1,591).
University Hospital Kerry has 283 inpatient beds (Adult and Paediatric), including 19 critical care beds. Since 2020, 34 additional beds were delivered in UHK. The Acute Inpatient Bed Capacity Expansion Plan 2024 – 2031 aims to deliver an additional 4,367 acute inpatient beds nationally including an additional 108 beds for UHK. This will bring additional capacity at UHK to 142.
