Hospital Equipment
Dail Éireann — 2026-06-10
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Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (FF), Carlow-Kilkenny

I thank Deputy Burke for raising this very important issue. The Government is committed to improving cancer care, ensuring better prevention and maintaining improvements in cancer survival rates and timely access to treatments. The availability of appropriate, fit-for-purpose facilities and equipment is critical to the safe and timely delivery of cancer care.
Since the launch of the national cancer strategy in 2017, the Government has allocated €105 million to support cancer services and improve outcomes for patients. Under the national cancer strategy and the recommendations of the national plan for radiation oncology, two state-of-the-art radiation oncology centres have opened in Cork and Galway, in 2019 and 2023 respectively, representing a €120 million capital investment.
Expansion and equipment replacement programmes are progressing across Ireland's public radiation oncology network. Deputy Burke spoke about the phased expansion that is under way. This is at Beaumont Hospital, where formal tender documents have already been issued to advance the project. A dedicated equipment replacement programme is also active across the St. Luke's Radiation Oncology Network to upgrade essential linear accelerators.
On a national scale, the Department of Health and the HSE are actively developing a strategic infrastructure programme to systematically plan for the future replacement and expansion of radiation therapy equipment at all public facilities. To progress this strategic initiative, formal engagement between the Department and relevant stakeholders is scheduled to begin on 12 June 2026, which is in two days' time. Centralised planning for this programme and subsequent oversight in its implementation will enable cost-effective procurement and efficient delivery of enabling works. The programme will also align with the national cancer strategy and Sláintecare, supporting sustainable, high-quality radiotherapy services nationwide.
As advised by the HSE, replacement of equipment takes into account not only age but also performance linked to use and ongoing maintenance regimes - end of life and end of support, as designed by the manufacturer - and the availability of spare parts. This is a critical consideration in replacing radiation oncology equipment. As such, the replacement of this equipment in the St. Luke's Radiation Oncology Network in Dublin is a priority.
The majority of radiation oncology services in Ireland met or exceeded the KPI targets across 2025, with the exception of the St. Luke's Radiation Oncology Network which performed below target across the year. As I have previously stated, an equipment replacement programme is in place to address this issue. In November 2025, the Department of Health's sectoral plan for 2026 to 2030 was launched under the national development plan. The sectoral plan sets out infrastructure investment priorities for the next five years, building on a strong track record of delivery to support the provision of equitable, accessible and high-quality healthcare across Ireland. A key strategic priority under the sectoral plan is continued investment in cancer care, including radiation oncology. I welcome this opportunity to discuss equipment replacement and expansion. The Government recognises the importance of the timely replacement of equipment as its effectiveness decreases.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-06-10/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-28T05:50:47+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-10