Niall Collins
Limerick County · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“We believe that EU membership is about being aware of the advantages of membership and making sure these are understood by the public. We want to encourage the Irish public to participate in that national conversation.”
“On behalf of the Minister for Transport, I thank the Deputies for raising these important issues. On 1 April, the Road Traffic Control of Certain Vehicles Regulations 2026, known as Grace's law in memory of Grace Lynch, were signed into law.”
“The Department of Transport is examining the issue of mandating the use of protective equipment for e-scooters and e-bikes along with other road safety-focused measures. Proposals in this regard are under consideration by the Ministers. The Department is also considering the matter of registration for e-scooters.”
“The strategy, A Career for EU, aims to improve Irish participation and success rates in EU recruitment processes for institutions such as the European Commission, the European Parliament and over 50 EU agencies.”
“They already benefit from significant Exchequer-funded rent supports through the housing assistance payment or rental accommodation scheme and, critically, must comply fully with the housing standards for rental houses regulations.”
“The timetable for implementation of all new and enhanced services is subject to funding, operational readiness and capacity. The public transport sector is currently experiencing a significant workforce shortage, particularly among drivers and mechanics.”
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“I have been following and engaging in this debate for the last number of weeks, I think it is fair to say that this is just pure populism politics being playing by a lot of people in government and across the Opposition and I have no hesitation in saying that. When was there ever a budget announcement in July? The budget will be at the end of September or in October, the same as it has been for as long as I can remember, and I have been around politics a while. The Senator is standing up here saying she wants the Government to make an announcement now regarding the budget. She knows that cannot happen. She talks about wanting to have certainty and clarity.”
“He has had multiple engagements with students, apprentices, access officers, student services staff and advocacy groups and in April he hosted a national cost-of-education event, bringing together key voices from across the sector. These insights have been invaluable. In preparation for budget 2026, the Minister, Deputy Lawless, will publish an options paper, which will outline the costs and potential impacts of various policy choices. This paper will inform the national debate and guide Government decisions. At this juncture, as the Senator will be well aware, no final decisions have been made and the Minister remains open to hearing from all stakeholders, students, families, institutions and advocacy groups.”
“While student supports have played a very significant role in facilitating access to and growth in higher education, we have to bring forward plans that recognise the wider costs of attending education and promote access through sustainable investment in support measures. As we look to budget 2026, the focus of the Minister, Deputy Lawless, is on long-term, structural solutions that can provide certainty and fairness for students into the future. He is conscious of the financial pressures students face, not just tuition fees but accommodation, transport, materials and day-to-day living costs. The Minister has spent the past few months listening to the views of key stakeholders.”
“In the 2023-24 academic year, over 143,000 students benefited from this support. This is a universal scheme and therefore a means test does not apply. Students are, however, required to pay the student contribution. This Government acknowledges that for many, this contribution presents a significant financial hurdle. That is where SUSI plays a vital role. In the 2024-25 year, over 65,000 students received support from SUSI to help cover this fee. These supports range from full coverage to partial grants of 50% or €500. The €500 grant introduced in 2023 is now a permanent feature of the scheme. From this September, we will increase the income thresholds for student grants by 15%, expanding access to even more students, but we must and will go further.”
“We have already taken a number of significant steps to improve the support framework, including the elimination of participation fees for post-leaving certificate, PLC, courses from September 2022 and major permanent changes to the Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI, student support scheme, such as the introduction of a new part-time SUSI grant scheme in 2024. Over the past three budgets, temporary cost-of-living measures were introduced to support our citizens, including a once-off €1,000 reduction in the €3,000 student contribution fee. These measures were welcome and necessary at the time but they were never intended to be permanent. It is important to consider that currently, under the free fees initiative, the State covers tuition fees for all eligible full-time undergraduate students.”
“I thank Senator Harmon for raising this important issue and for the opportunity it provides to discuss the Government’s ongoing work to make further and higher education more accessible and more affordable. The Minister, Deputy Lawless, is today at an informal meeting of EU researchers in Copenhagen so unfortunately he cannot be here to discuss this topic himself. The Government is acutely conscious of the financial challenges facing students. We are committed to easing the financial burden on students and their families by reducing the cost of education in a way that is sustainable, equitable and targeted. This is a programme for Government commitment. The current student support framework, such as student grant supports and fee supports, has played a significant role in facilitating access to and growth in higher education.”
“As this is the last piece of business before the summer recess, like previous speakers I will take the opportunity, on my own behalf and on behalf of the Government and the Fianna Fáil Party, to thank the Ceann Comhairle and all of the staff of the Houses of the Oireachtas for their sterling work. We look forward to coming back duly refreshed after the summer recess. I also thank the staff of the Department of justice, to which I am assigned, for their commitment to the work assigned to us. I thank the staff in my own constituency office for their dedication and for ensuring we provide a fantastic service to my constituents in County Limerick.”
“We have provided an extra €4 million in funding for the Probation Service this year in pursuit of this commitment, bringing its total funding to €60 million in 2025. Additional money is going towards the expansion of restorative justice and crime diversion programmes, including step-down facilities and community-based alternatives to imprisonment. Promoting restorative justice is a priority for this Government, as set out in our programme for Government. Earlier, I mentioned some of the progress we have made so far. We are committed to ensuring that this continues apace. The Bill broadly aligns with Government policy in this area. I anticipate further discussion and debate on this subject in the future. I again offer my appreciation to the Deputies for submitting their proposals to the Dáil for this evening's debate.”
“At this juncture, it is unclear how the operation of restorative schemes under the Bill would affect the schemes that currently take place after a conviction, whether as part of the conditions of a sentence or otherwise. This is one of several issues that will require close attention if proposals are to be progressed. The provision for a court to dismiss a charge on its merits after a restorative justice scheme is completed also presents a problem. Dismissing a charge on its merits implies that the essential elements of the offence are somehow deficient so this does not reflect the purpose of the schemes. Restorative justice does not address the components of an offence. Instead, it is intended to mitigate some of the loss, damage or hurt caused to the victim. I have already outlined the Government's support for restorative justice.”
“The provision that proof of involvement in a restorative justice scheme will not be admissible as evidence of guilt in later criminal proceedings may prove problematic where the individual's character is material to a case. If this kind of evidence is not admissible, there is a risk that the courts may not be in a position to appropriately consider all of the available evidence in order to come to a sound verdict. The provision for inadmissibility could also affect the administration of the Garda vetting system. It is important to ensure that participation in restorative justice schemes does not adversely affect vetting disclosures in cases where this information is relevant. Ensuring the safety and well-being of the children and vulnerable adults protected by the vetting legislation must remain a top priority.”
“As noted earlier, the proposals are broadly in line with Government policy. On that basis, the Government has agreed not to oppose the Bill. However, the legal advice received from the Office of the Attorney General has highlighted some concerns. As with any new legislation, it is important to commit the necessary time and effort to ensure the provisions will actually do what is intended and will not cause problems elsewhere or result in unintended consequences. One of the potential unintended consequences of this Bill is the possibility of issues arising with the constitutional requirement for fair procedures in the administration of the law.”
“I thank the Deputy very much for his contribution. I know he has a great interest in this area. He has partaken in discussions on youth diversion before. At the core of our democratic model is the idea that no policy or proposal is above criticism and that the exchange of ideas that takes place here ensures that new policy and legislation reflects the needs of our people. With that in mind, I thank the Deputies for bringing forward their proposed amendments and for their contributions. I assure them that I have listened and I agree with the underlying aim, which is to improve the way we administer restorative justice. With the right approach, it is possible to further the use of restorative justice to improve the fairness and effectiveness of the criminal justice system for both victims and offenders.”
“The review also seeks to strengthen the suite of restorative justice interventions. Any change we might make to the administration of justice must fully account for the engagement of constitutional rights and our duty to children and vulnerable people. I thank the Deputies opposite for tabling the Bill. There is a worthwhile objective behind the proposals and, on the basis I have outlined, the Government will not oppose the Bill.”
“In May, the Probation Service published a three-year action plan, Restorative Justice Action Plan 2025 - 2027: Repairing Harm and Empowering Voices through Restorative Justice. This has the objective of increasing restorative justice referrals and interventions by 10% in each year of the plan. The plan aims to increase the availability and access to restorative justice, enhance the effectiveness of probation interventions, reduce recidivism and create a more inclusive society. Officials in the Department are also considering the outcome of a review of the Criminal Justice (Community Sanctions) Bill 2014, which advocates for the use of community sanctions in their own right as opposed to solely as an alternative to a custodial sentence. This would contribute to reduced reliance on our prison system.”
“The Garda National Vetting Bureau consults all of the relevant records available to it to produce a vetting disclosure, and this is used to inform employment decisions. Further consideration is required to ensure that vetting disclosures will not be affected in light of the inadmissibility provision. Our duty to safeguard the safety and welfare of children and vulnerable people is paramount. The legal advice received from the Office of the Attorney General has also highlighted some issues of a drafting and technical nature. I am satisfied these are not insurmountable and could be satisfactorily addressed. I am pleased to be able to inform the House that work is under way in the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration that will go some way towards addressing the issues the Bill sets out to tackle.”
“It is not clear whether this would affect the operation of the schemes that take place after a conviction, whether as part of the conditions of a sentence or otherwise. The officials have advised there is a potential overlap between the provisions as drafted and the adult caution scheme, which is operated by An Garda Síochána where a prosecution for a summary offence is not in the public interest. Further consideration is required to parse the overlapping elements and make sure we are not creating space for unintended consequences. The National Vetting Bureau Acts of 2012 to 2016 provide essential safeguards for the protection of the most vulnerable people in our society. The Acts provide for the vetting of anyone who would have access to children or vulnerable adults as part of their work or in the course of voluntary activities.”
“Dismissing a charge on its merits suggests the fundamental ingredients of the offence are in some way lacking. This is a matter of such importance to the fair administration of justice that it would be addressed by a court in the normal course of proceedings. Restorative justice does not address the offence itself. Instead, it is focused on dealing with the loss, damage and hurt caused to the victim. The existing language in the 2017 Act provides sufficient scope to a court to dismiss a charge and it should not consider reference to a case being dismissed on its merits. The amended legislation would not provide for restorative justice schemes in circumstances other than those outlined in its provisions.”
“A key requirement for inclusion in the diversion programme is the acceptance of responsibility for offending behaviour. Similarly, the 2017 Act requires offenders to acknowledge the basic facts of the offence committed, which presupposes an acceptance of guilt. The 2017 Act further provides that a restorative justice agreement may be considered in any criminal proceedings relating to the offence. In effect, participation in a scheme generally functions to decrease penalties. It is not clear how an amendment that provides for participation not to be used as evidence of guilt could sit comfortably alongside the provisions in the 2017 Act. The Bill also provides that, without prejudice to any other way of dealing with the case, after an agreement has been reached through restorative justice a court may dismiss the charge on its merits.”
“The right to a fair hearing is rooted in the Constitution and this includes, among other things, a requirement for the courts to ensure a thorough and impartial examination of all of the available evidence. While this inadmissibility is similar in character to the inadmissibility of evidence of participation by a child in a youth diversion programme, this is part of the tailored set of criminal justice procedures provided for in the Children Act 2001, in recognition of the specific needs of children. International and domestic law acknowledge the unique developmental needs of children, and the particular benefits a tailored rehabilitative approach has for them. Restorative justice for children is delivered through the Garda youth diversion programme.”
“They are given the opportunity to express their feelings and show how the offence has affected them, as well as being able to seek reparation and commitments on future behaviour. However, while the intention behind the Bill as proposed by the Deputies has merit, the Office of the Attorney General has relayed concerns about a misalignment with the existing policy on restorative justice. The Bill requires that an offender's participation in a restorative justice scheme will be inadmissible as evidence of guilt. This is likely to be problematic in later proceedings where an individual's character is of relevance. If this evidence cannot be used in a court, there is a risk for later criminal proceedings due to fair procedures considerations.”
“The adult caution scheme currently operates in this space for summary offences, that is, offences on the minor end of the scale that carry a maximum penalty of 12 months imprisonment. The Bill would also prevent an offender's engagement with a restorative justice provider from being used as evidence of guilt in any later proceedings against them. I will come back to that in a moment. It is acknowledged that restorative justice is not suitable for every offender or every victim. A broad range of research has identified clear benefits, most notably positive impacts on the reoffending rates of some offenders who in certain cases are provided with an opportunity to make good the harm they have done. The research also shows high satisfaction among victims who take part.”
“This Bill would insert new sections into section 26 to create certain points throughout the criminal justice process where restorative justice schemes must be considered. The courts would be encouraged to refer cases to restorative justice schemes between a charge and a conviction. After a scheme is completed, the courts would choose to resume the proceedings or dismiss the charges, as appropriate. An Garda Síochána and the Director of Public Prosecutions would be given power to refer a broader selection of cases to restorative justice schemes, after a person has been charged and before prosecution begins and to review the decision to prosecute, if appropriate.”
“A key role of the Probation Service is to support the expansion of restorative justice and crime diversion programmes, as well as step-down facilities and community-based alternatives to imprisonment. I will now turn to the amendments that would be introduced by the Bill. As I mentioned, restorative justice in Ireland is provided for in the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2017, with certain tailored provisions for those under 18 in the Children Act 2001. Section 26 of the 2017 Act provides for restorative justice schemes on the basis that an offender acknowledges the basic fact of the offence, that both the victim and the offender provide free and informed consent to a restorative justice agreement and that an agreement between the parties can be taken into account by the courts in any criminal proceedings relating to the offence.”
“Restorative justice programmes are available across the country and at most stages of the criminal justice process. For some lower tariff offences, it can mean that an offender may be diverted from prosecution, while it comes into play after a conviction for more serious offences. Restorative justice schemes are operated by the Probation Service and through several community-based organisations that receive referrals at specific points in the criminal justice process. Five community-based organisations are currently being funded to provide restorative justice programmes across the country. The Government has supported the provision of restorative justice in budget 2025, with an additional €4 million for the Probation Service, bringing the total budget to over €60 million.”
“It is defined as being any scheme through which, with the consent of each party, a victim and an offender or alleged offender engage with one another to resolve, with the assistance of an impartial third party, matters arising from the relevant offence, or alleged offence. In recognition of the differing needs of children, the Children Act 2001 includes tailored provisions for restorative justice for those under 18 years old. This is administered through the system of youth diversion programmes, which are overseen by An Garda Síochána. Evidence shows that a restorative justice approach can support victims to recover from the impact of a crime, as well as serving to reduce reoffending. This is an integral part of the work of the Probation Service, which established a restorative justice and victim services unit in 2018.”
“It also envisions that participation in restorative measures would mean that, in some cases, prison sentences can be avoided. It is hoped that this rehabilitative approach would lead to decreased reoffending rates and assist in freeing up our overburdened court system and prison system. Earlier this week, my colleague, the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, received approval from Cabinet not to oppose this Bill on Second Stage. It is well intentioned and it aligns with the programme for Government commitment to continue to roll out nationally the voluntary restorative justice programme. Restorative justice is provided for in the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2017.”
“I am happy to address Dáil Éireann on the final piece of business for this term. I thank the two Deputies who we have just heard from and also acknowledge former Deputy Patricia Ryan. All three were involved in introducing this Private Member's Bill in December 2023. The Bill addresses a topical issue in the administration of a fair system of justice and one which has the potential to contribute to more efficient use of prison capacity, while ensuring that the rights of victims are upheld. The stated purpose of the Bill is to clarify the processes and procedures for referrals to restorative justice schemes, with the aim of increasing their use in the criminal justice system. The Deputies anticipate that this would aid in giving victims closure and improving victim recovery and satisfaction with the justice system.”
“A few years later, people saw the good in it. Unfortunately, a lot of groups were misled at the time. That legislation needs to be updated because 2010 was 15 years ago at this point. A lot of people do a lot of good work on animal welfare.”
“It needs to be updated now and it needs to be better resourced, but at the time, it brought in a regulatory regime around puppy farms and breeding establishments which had got out of control. The ironic thing about it was that John Gormley brought it in in 2010. There was an election in 2011. Parties swapped over and one of the first things then Minister, Phil Hogan, did was commence the legislation when the Opposition of the time was cynical. I remember when I was canvassing for the 2016 election, I went into a farmyard and met a fella who said he had had strong, robust words with me back in 2010 about the Dog Breeding Establishments Act. He said I told him what it was about, but he did not agree with me and did not believe me at the time. He wanted to compliment me because what I had said was right.”
“I want give a particular shout out to the DEEL Sighthound Rescue organisation in Limerick, Star Rescue and Limerick Animal Welfare. I have first-hand knowledge of the very fine work they do. I want to refer to the 2010 Act. I remember, because I was here, when the then Minister, John Gormley, brought in the Dog Breeding Establishments Bill. The Opposition at the time cynically used it as a ploy or political tactic to try to wind up everyone involved in outdoor pursuits, whether they were gun clubs, hunting clubs or fishing clubs, that this was going to be the thin end of the wedge and that the Government had a covert agenda of trying to shut down outdoor activities. It was brilliant legislation at the time.”
“I absolutely agree with the Deputy that more needs to be done in this area. The whole area of dog breeding is a huge industry at the moment. The 2019 Act was a very progressive start but we must revisit it and probably update it. I have always been a huge advocate for animal welfare. We must always strive to continue to do more to promote a better culture of animal welfare, whether it is for dogs, cats, horses or whatever. I want to acknowledge the hundreds of animal welfare groups around the country. They do receive funding from the Department of agriculture but it is not enough. They need more. Unfortunately, they have to rely on their own fundraising mechanisms too much and we need to resource them a little bit better.”
“As part of the programme for Government, this Government is addressing the disjointed approach to dog control issues and ensuring all legislation and policy related to the control of dogs, dog welfare, and dog-breeding establishments will rest with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. As the Deputy knows, there is a mechanism by which transfers of functions happen when new Governments take up office and when new Departments are established. Policy and legislative responsibility for the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2020 is due to transfer to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine from the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht imminently. Both Departments are working closely together to ensure the smooth transfer of functions.”
“The type of certification is dependent on whether the destination is to other EU countries or non-EU countries. The number of dogs exported commercially from Ireland in the past five years are as follows: in 2020, 8,993; in 2021, 10,581; in 2022, 7,089; in 2023, 9,440; and in 2024, 8,768. Certification must be signed off by a veterinary inspector in the regional veterinary office of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. An exporter must contact their local regional veterinary office to have an inspection of the shipment of dogs completed prior to travel. The regional veterinary office inspection includes relevant paperwork, vaccines, microchips, health certificates, animal welfare and confirmation that the exporter is registered with the Department.”
“In March 2025, information was requested from local authorities to update the register, to include the number of female dogs in each dog-breeding establishment, but the number of pups bred was not requested as part of these returns. The updated register will be published on gov.ie in the coming weeks once all the returns have been collated, based on the information that was provided by the local authorities. Regarding the number of dogs exported internationally, these are facilitated through commercial movements. Commercial movement of pets is defined where a pet, or pets, are either travelling unaccompanied, or are travelling for the use of trading, or for shows, sporting events or where an owner has more than five pets travelling. All commercial movements of dogs require certification.”
“Therefore, the legal responsibility to maintain a register of dog-breeding establishments is a matter for each local authority. However, recommendation 11 of the Report of the Working Group on Control of Dogs recommended that a centralised national database of dog-breeding establishments should be created. In 2023, the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht reached out to local authorities to collate their registers. The Dog Breeding Establishment National Register was then published on gov.ie . Data on the number of pups bred in dog-breeding establishments was not requested at that time.”
“I thank Deputy O'Sullivan for raising this matter with respect to dog-breeding establishments and the number of exports internationally. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has asked me to take this matter on his behalf. The Dog Breeding Establishments Act provides a regulatory framework for the licensing, monitoring and inspection of dog-breeding establishments by local authorities and where a serious and immediate threat exists to public health or animal health and welfare for the closure of such establishments. Local authorities are responsible for the enforcement of the Act. Section 9 of the Act states that each local authority shall cause to be established and maintained a register of dog-breeding establishments situated in its functional area.”
“If the Deputy passes on the details to me, I will absolutely convey them to the Minister for Health and the HSE. I will also be conveying to the Minister and the HSE the urgency the Deputy has articulated. As I outlined in my initial contribution, the HSE has partaken in a process as to how it intends to address this issue. It is at a cross-roads now in terms of coming out of a tender process and appointing providers who will deal with the demand within our community. It is very important, particularly for younger children who are at such a young, vulnerable developmental age where being challenged with their hearing is a huge burden they have to bear. We have to give them every opportunity.”
“The HSE advises that the appropriate tender documents have been finalised. The HSE will soon complete the identification of suitable external providers. Once a list of such providers is finalised, the funding will be allocated to each regional executive officer on a pro rata basis to ensure that the longest waiting children aged four and over are seen as a matter of priority. Importantly, this will increase capacity within the HSE to prioritise the assessment of adults waiting for community audiology services. This is especially important for older adults as appropriate hearing care is a vital factor in them remaining connected to their families and local communities.”
“The group is jointly chaired by the Department of Health and the HSE and membership is drawn from relevant stakeholders, including the Irish Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists, the Irish Academy of Audiology and the Department of Social Protection. The group has developed a workstream, including subgroups to progress important matters. The group is considering the current level of hearing care provision in Ireland, current capacity constraints and opportunities within the HSE and the appropriate linkage between public and private provision of care to maximise positive outcomes for patients, including reductions in waiting times. While the work of the group progresses, funding has been allocated in 2025 to address children’s waiting lists as part of the waiting list action plan by using suitable external providers.”
“The national audiology clinical management system clearly indicates that the demand on HSE audiology services is increasing year on year, especially with the ageing demographic of the population as Ireland ages. The system also provides information to improve the prioritisation of patients according to clinical need. However, there is still much work to do in relation to the community audiology waiting lists. The World Health Organization’s World Report on Hearing, published in March 2021, recommended that governments develop a comprehensive people-centred hearing care plan within their national healthcare plan. The Minister for Health established the national hearing care plan working group in August 2024. The group is tasked with making recommendations around developing a holistic model of hearing care in Ireland.”
“On behalf of the Minister for Health, I thank Deputy McAuliffe for raising this important matter. Addressing waiting lists is a high priority for the Government and substantial investment has been made to address waiting lists across a range of acute and community health services. A previous review of audiology services, published by the Health Service Executive in 2011 as the national audiology review group report, identified shortcomings including access issues, poor information flow, inadequate staffing and unacceptable waiting times. The report made recommendations to address these concerns. Most of these recommendations have been implemented, including the roll-out of a national audiology clinical management system for community services, which is facilitating improved waiting list management.”
“Sorry, I have the floor. Sinn Féin describes the problem and provides a commentary on the problem, which is fine and we are all well able to do that. What would Sinn Féin do differently? How would it resource it differently?”
“I have outlined the significant investment and the significant progress that the Government has made over recent years, particularly since Fianna Fáil returned to government in 2020, by almost doubling the operational budget, increasing the workforce by well over 1,000 and increasing bed capacity. There has been a robust response. The Deputy said there has not been a robust response. I would argue that he is wrong. When Sinn Féin people discuss UHL, I never hear what their proposals are. The Deputy has not outlined here today and I have never heard him outline previously what Sinn Féin would do in government about UHL.”
“That needs to be acknowledged and put on the record. Very often, the political narrative around UHL dismisses the very fine work that is going on there at all levels by porters, nurses, doctors, senior house officers, consultants and those at administration level. Of course, there have been some very unfortunate high-profile individual cases which have been in the news. They should never have happened but unfortunately they did happen. However, in the main people get great treatment and care at UHL. I do not agree with Deputy Quinlivan when he says there has been no progress.”
“There is no doubt that when people get through the emergency department at UHL, the care and treatment they receive up the house and in their journey through UHL in the main is very good and very high quality.”
“I would like to reassure the Deputy, and all patients and people in the mid-west, that this Government is fully committed to improving health services in the region.”
“The primary objective of this work is to ensure safe, quality acute care in the region. As part of this review, HIQA was requested to consider the case for a second emergency department in the context of the population changes in recent years and the ongoing pressures at UHL. HIQA published the terms of reference for this review in August 2024. A preliminary briefing was received at the end of February. This preliminary briefing was published in March by the Minister for Health. A final report is expected in September 2025. The Minister will then consider the findings of the report to ensure that the appropriate actions are taken to ensure safe urgent and emergency care that is both safe and of high quality.”
“This includes the successful delivery of two fast-tracked 16-bed inpatient blocks which opened in December 2024 and June this year. More new bed blocks are being developed, which will provide up to 292 additional beds by 2028. This includes two 96-bed blocks, the first of which is expected to open in September 2025. Bed capacity is being further expanded throughout the region through the acute hospital inpatient bed capacity expansion plan. This will deliver 572 new inpatient beds in the region by 2031, including 24 new beds at Nenagh Hospital, 48 new beds at Ennis Hospital and 42 new beds at St. John’s Hospital in Limerick. In addition, 25 virtual ward beds are operating at UHL. In May 2024, the Health and Information Quality Authority, HIQA, was requested to conduct a review of urgent and emergency care in the mid-west region.”
“More capacity is required but this must be supported by a range of reforms across health services in the region. There has been ongoing investment in additional capacity at UHL in recent years. UHL’s annual budget spend has increased from €265 million in 2019 to €507 million in 2024. A package of wide-ranging reform measures is also being implemented. These measures are aimed at capacity and reform of the health system in the region, including increased staffing levels. Staffing at UHL has grown by 48%, an increase of 1,337 whole-time-equivalent staff, from 2019 to May 2025. More beds are needed in the hospital and across the mid-west region. Through Government investment, 140 new beds have opened in UHL since 2020.”
“I thank Deputy Quinlivan for giving me the opportunity to address the House on capacity at University Hospital Limerick and provide an update on measures that are being taken to alleviate overcrowding. Reducing emergency department overcrowding and reducing waiting lists is a priority for this Government. Many patients are still waiting too long for hospital appointments and treatments. UHL has one of the busiest emergency departments in Ireland. Presentations totalled 87,194 in 2024. Between January and June this year, emergency department attendances at UHL were 9% higher than in the same period last year. Despite this, the daily average of patients counted on trolleys at 8 a.m. during this period is down 3% on the same period in 2024. However, too many patients are being treated on trolleys at UHL.”