BREAKING: Construction of new 96 bed-block at University Hospital Limerick fast-tracked

THE MINISTER for Health has announced the acceleration of plans to deliver additional bed capacity at University Hospital Limerick.

Construction is continuing on a 96-bed ward block at the hospital. A further two 96-bed blocks are proposed to be developed as part of the overall masterplan for the University Hospital Limerick Campus.

Confirming the acceleration of plans on Wednesday, Minister Donnelly said: "Today I am delighted to announce that the HSE are making arrangements to accelerate enabling works which will progress delivery of a new second 96-Bed Ward Block.

"This next phase of works to be progressed in the coming months at UHL will include an underground car-park, along with ground floor and first floor shell spaces together providing the lower floors of the next hospital block envisaged in the site masterplan.

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"The HSE will also prepare plans to take forward a further phase of capital works that would include construction and fit out of a further four 24-bed inpatient wards as part of the upper part of second ward block."

Mr Donnelly said the government is committed to transforming how they deliver healthcare in Ireland, building a health service that is based on patient need and not their ability to pay.

"In the largest increase in capacity in the history of the Health Service Executive (HSE), we have opened an additional 975 permanent hospital beds, excluding critical care, since 1 January 2020.

"Further beds will be added throughout 2023. We have also increased our critical care capacity to 323 beds, which represents an increase of approximately 25% over the 2020 baseline of 258 beds and HSE also plan to add a further 29 beds this year.

"Our health infrastructure is key to providing health services and is a fundamental enabler of health service reform.

"Investment in infrastructure is taking account of the complexity of health services and the changing way we deliver those services now and into the future."

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Fianna Fáil Minister of State and Limerick TD Niall Collins has welcomed the acceleration of plans to deliver a new 96-bed ward at UHL.

“The provision of additional bed capacity is critical to solving the issues we’ve been experiencing in Limerick for far too long. Both the new bed capacity and new personnel are critical. It is something we’ll continue to pursue,” he said.