Hospital Facilities
Dail Éireann — 2026-02-18
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Mary Butler (FF), Waterford

I thank the Deputy. In relation to the elective treatment centres, known as elective hospitals, the HSE and the Minister remain committed to developing these in Cork, Galway and Dublin. They will take longer to develop. In the short term, as the programme has developed and evolved, the HSE has determined the most appropriate design for the new facilities. The introduction of the surgical hubs was not originally envisaged when elective hospitals were first proposed. The significant additional capacity being provided by those hubs has been an important factor in determining the model for the centres going forward. I am not in a position to answer the Deputy's question. I have been in Merlin Park previously visiting mental health services but I cannot answer the Deputy's question in relation to where it will be located. I would be of the mind that if you are going to have an elective hospital with overnight beds, that colocation is important beside a model 4 hospital. Maybe that is the reason behind it but I am only thinking out loud. This is my sixth year in the Department of Health. I understand that decisions are made at times. A lot of people are on waiting lists for elective surgery. We have already delivered two new surgical hubs that are operational. A couple more will come on stream this year. I think what is being proposed for Galway is both. This states clearly that the Minister remains committed to developing the elective hospitals in Cork, Galway and Dublin but while we await those, the surgical hubs will be in place. That will take down a huge amount of capacity for his constituents who are waiting for treatment.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-02-18/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:39+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-02-18