Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 July 2026
248. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the appointment of the chair of the board and the appointment of the full board for the new hospital in Limerick; if she will commit to the inclusion of a sexual assault treatment unit in the new hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52230/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Minister and her officials are working to establish a Strategic Board to provide strategic direction and oversight of the development of a comprehensive plan for the organisation of services and investment in Limerick and the HSE Mid West Region to ensure a sustainable, region-wide model of care.
The strategic plan will have regard to progressing a blended approach to the three options presented by HIQA, as approved by Government in December 2025. The strategic plan will determine which services must remain on the UHL Dooradoyle campus, which can be relocated to the new Raheen site, and which are appropriate for transfer to Ennis, St John’s, or Nenagh.
Work to give effect to Option A, to expand capacity at the UHL Dooradoyle site, is being rapidly progressed, including the delivery of two rapid-build 16-bed units in December 2024 and June 2025 respectively and a new 96-bed block in October 2025. Contracts have been recently awarded to deliver a second 96-bed block. An additional 16-bed unit is due for completion by the end of this year, and a design team has been appointed for a 66-bed block. Across Ennis, St John's and Nenagh Model 2 Hospitals, an additional 114 beds are planned by 2031. In total, 420 regional beds are expected to be delivered in the region between 2024 and 2031.
The Minister has said on record that she has identified a Chair and that there is a body of work to be done before she assembles the Strategic Board over the summer. It would not be appropriate to publicly identify the Chair in isolation before the rest of the Board is in place to undertake this important work.
At the end of June, the Minister met with the Mid-West Regional Patient and Service User Council and will continue to engage with stakeholders to ensure there is a good balance of regional, clinical and patient representation on the Board.
The HSE is currently undertaking a scoping process regarding the potential future development of SATU services in the Mid West region. At present, no decision has been made regarding the establishment of a SATU in Limerick or the Mid West region. The future direction of service development will be informed by the ongoing scoping exercise, assessment of regional need, governance requirements and broader national service planning considerations, including the work of the Strategic Board.
The Minister remains focused on ensuring that the recommendations arising from HIQA’s assessment are implemented in a timely and coordinated manner, and that people in the Mid West have access to safe, high-quality, and reliable care.
