Construction inflation, labour shortages and enhanced building standards “may impact progress” on some major necessary health projects, a report has said.
According to the HSE 2026 capital plan, the organisation will have €1.327 billion for building and equipment this year, with a further €263 million in the HSE digital for care capital plan.
The plans outlined in the report focus on increasing capacity, improving regional access to services and addressing regulatory concerns.
The organisation said there were “inherent uncertainties” associated with infrastructure projects, as well as “dynamic market conditions”, so there was a need for “continuous management” of the capital plan.
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“The availability of construction industry workforce, specialised resources and overall capacity within the construction sector may impact progress on some projects,” the report said.
The organisation warned that these challenges could “influence” how accurate assessments were and could have an effect on cash flow for projects.
The document pledged the construction of national children’s hospital Ireland would be completed, though it did not provide a date for completion.
The executive also said it would progress the relocation of the National Maternity Hospital to Elm Park, Dublin.
In terms of increasing bed capacity, the organisation said it would complete construction for 143 acute beds and complete construction for 415 community beds.
The organisation said it would submit planning permission for elective hospitals in Cork and Galway in 2026 and would begin the preparation and associated enabling works for these centres. It would also progress the planning for the Dublin elective hospitals, it said.
The plan pledges to open five surgical hubs in Cork, Waterford, Limerick, Galway and north Dublin by the end of 2026. Plans to provide surgical hubs in Sligo and Letterkenny, Co Donegal, would also be advanced.
Surgical hubs were announced in December 2022 and were expected to open within 18 months, but so far only one is open to patients.
“It is envisaged that they will operate for six days a week and be open 8am to 8pm. The maximum length of patient stay will be 12 hours (no overnight stays),” the report said.
“Once fully operational, each surgical hub will deliver circa 10,000 day-cases or minor operations.”
In terms of mental health, the plan prioritised the development of the perinatal mental health unit for new mothers, specialist eating disorder beds for adults and the progression of six priority acute mental health units around the country.
Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said the plan showed commitment to better healthcare and increased capacity.
“By expanding capacity and building the right physical and digital infrastructure, both in hospitals and in communities, we are advancing the Sláintecare vision to provide the right care, in the right place, at the right time,” she said.
