Health Services
Seanad Éireann — 2026-06-10
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Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (FF), Carlow-Kilkenny

I thank Senator Clifford-Lee for raising this important issue. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill.
This Government remains fully committed to delivering healthcare reform under the Sláintecare framework, ensuring that people receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time. A key part of our hospital-avoidance strategy is the continued development of injury units. Injury units provide safe, convenient care for non-life-threatening injuries such as broken bones, sprains and burns, as the Senator spoke about. They deliver the same level of care for these conditions as an emergency department, but closer to home and with significantly shorter waiting times. Last year, there were 222,697 attendances at injury units, a 5% increase on 2024. The median patient experience time, PET, remains exceptionally low, at just 1.3 hours. To the end of May this year, there have been 95,803 attendances nationally, a 1% increase on the same period in 2025, and the PET has improved further to 1.2 hours.
The Balbriggan primary care centre already provides a wide range of integrated services, including primary care therapies, specialist teams for older people, chronic disease management and mental health and disability services. It also hosts two GP practices and a pharmacy. The Minister is committed to expanding capacity in primary care by recruiting additional staff and supporting advanced practice roles in the community. The HSE completed a national injury unit review in 2023 to assess service levels and geographical coverage. This review informed the 2026 national service plan, which includes new units in Tallaght, Athlone, Carlow and Ballina.
In relation to the Senator's request for a minor injury hub in Balbriggan, I must advise that there are currently no plans to open an injury unit there. The focus of the 2026 service plan is on the four new units previously identified. However, the HSE continues to review expansion needs and is working to future-proof the system by standardising opening hours to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week across existing sites. Residents in Balbriggan currently have access to several options for non-life-threatening injuries, including the Mater Smithfield rapid injury clinic in Dublin 7 and Connolly Hospital emergency department, which includes a dedicated nurse-led minor injury unit. The Department and the HSE will continue to monitor population growth and geospatial needs to ensure that our urgent care footprint evolves in line with the needs of communities like Balbriggan.
The Government and the Minister remain committed to the implementation of the national cancer strategy and to building on significant investment and progress already made in improving outcomes for patients in Ireland.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-06-10/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:02+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-10