Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 January 2019
194. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding required to reopen and fully staff the 20-bed short-stay ward of €1.8 million sought by the management of Letterkenny University Hospital allocated to date; and if the 20 beds in the ward will reopen as soon as possible.## [2021/19]
View answerIncreasing capacity is a priority for the Government in line with the recommendations of the Health Service Capacity Review. In this context, an additional 240 beds have been opened over the past 12 months and the HSE's National Service Plan provides for a comprehensive capacity programme for 2019. The main elements of the programme are:
- the opening of 78 new beds by the end of the first quarter of 2019;
- the opening of an additional 75 acute beds and 70 community beds during 2019, as part of the Winter Plan, including 5 beds in Letterkenny University Hospital;
- preparation of 202 beds this year, to be operational in the first quarter of 2020, including beds in Letterkenny Hospital.
