Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 May 2026
1393. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the workforce capacity required to fully implement Sláintecare reforms, particularly in community and primary care services; the way in which current staffing levels compare to that requirement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39672/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraSláintecare is Ireland’s long-term plan to achieve universal healthcare — care that is high quality, affordable, and based on need. The Sláintecare Action Plan 2026 which is due to be published imminently marks the next important step on that journey. The Action Plan 2026 puts the patient and service user at the centre of everything we do. The focus for Sláintecare is clear- turning reform into real delivery for patients and service users.
Ireland, like many countries, faces significant long-term pressures in health and social care, such as a growing and ageing population and demand for services is increasing. The rise in demand has direct implications for future workforce requirements. Sláintecare is how we respond — not just to today’s challenges, but to future needs — while continuing to improve people’s experience of care.
“Ireland’s Future Health and Social Care Workforce” paper sets out an evidence-based strategic direction for the health and social care workforce for the next 15 years. This paper sets out the vision and long-term plan for the health and social care workforce and focuses on the long-term demand and supply of health and social care workers out to 2040. It covers the entire health and social care sector, including public, private and voluntary.
“Ireland’s Future Health and Social Care Workforce” paper provides the results of workforce planning projections conducted by the Department of Health. The Progress Demand Scenario incorporates the potential impact of a range of Sláintecare policies. These include a shift in care from inpatient to day-case treatment and from acute hospitals to community settings, the removal of private care from public hospitals, and more ambitious approaches to waiting list management. It also accounts for the expansion of advanced practice roles among nurses and midwives.
This analysis demonstrates that with implementation of planned Sláintecare health policies and workforce reforms there will be an average annual growth rate required of approximately 1.4% to 2% from 2023 to 2040 for the professions modelled. Population demographics are the major driver for this increased demand. It is important to note that the demand and supply projections set out in this paper are estimates rather than targets. Further detail is available here: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-health/press-releases/minister-for-health-publishes-paper-on-irelands-future-health-and-social-care-workforce.
The ESRI recently published a report, funded by the HSE, projecting regional workforce requirements for HSE primary and community care services in Ireland. The research considers a range of scenarios reflecting different assumptions about population growth and ageing, as well as changes in the mix of workforce involved in delivering care. This report shows that population growth and ageing will be major drivers of increased workforce requirements for HSE primary and community care staff, with projections also being sensitive to assumptions about future workforce mix. Further details on this report are available here: www.esri.ie/publications/projections-of-regional-workforce-requirements-for-hse-primary-and-community-care.
Under the Sláintecare reform, whole-time equivalent (WTE) health service staff numbers have increased significantly. Since the end of December 2020, the total number of whole time equivalent (WTE) staff employed in HSE has risen by 27,437 - from 126,174 WTE to 153,611 WTE at the end of March 2026, an increase of 22%. 61,069 of these WTE are employed in HSE community services.
Developed in 2019 as part of Sláintecare, the Enhanced Community Care (ECC) Programme is a suite of strategic reform initiatives which seeks to reduce dependency on the hospital system by delivering increased levels of healthcare provision in the community setting, with service delivery reoriented towards general practice, primary care, and community-based services.
The focus is on implementing an end-to-end care pathway that cares for people at home and over time prevent referrals and admissions to acute hospitals where it is safe and appropriate to do so and enable a “home first” approach.
The ECC Programme is allocated €195m in recurring annual funding for the establishment of 96 CHNs, 30 Community Specialist Teams (CSTs) for Older People, 30 CSTs for Chronic Disease, national coverage for community intervention teams (CITs) and the development of a volunteer-type model in collaboration with Alone.
• 2,800 staff have been on-boarded with 81% of full recruitment target achieved (latest data).
• Community Specialist Teams for Chronic Disease Management – 26 of the planned 30 are now operational.
• Community Specialist Teams for Older Persons – 27 of the planned 30 are now operational.
• Community Intervention Teams –23 operational, with national coverage secured.
• The continued focus for the Programme is on consolidating the progress made to date, increasing productivity and outputs to maximise impact from existing level of resource.
