Laois TD Brian Stanley has called on the Government to urgently increase hospital and nursing home bed capacity in Portlaoise, Mountmellick and Abbeyleix to meet the demands of the county’s rapidly growing population.
The Independent Republican TD raised the issue during Leaders’ Questions in the Dáil, where he pressed the Government to fund a proposed 48-bed wing at Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise, retain an existing ward in Mountmellick and provide additional facilities in Abbeyleix.
Deputy Stanley highlighted Government housing targets which envisage 11,200 additional homes in Laois over nine years, potentially increasing the county’s population by approximately 33,000 people.
He warned that existing healthcare facilities would struggle to cope with such significant growth, particularly given the county’s ageing population.
“One of the most pressing issues is bed capacity in hospitals and nursing homes,” he told the Dáil.
“Currently, we have capacity for a population of about 65,000 in those services.”
Deputy Stanley welcomed recent improvements at Portlaoise Hospital, including its new Emergency Department, but stressed that additional inpatient beds were urgently required.
He said the hospital currently has 171 beds and welcomed the previous announcement by Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill approving a proposed 48-bed wing.
However, he insisted that funding must now be secured to deliver the development.
“Portlaoise hospital is under severe pressure. Patients are waiting to get into the accident and emergency department, and the managers cannot do anything about it because they are trying to move patients out the other end as quickly as they can,” he said.
“The problem is sheer bed capacity.”
Deputy Stanley also raised concerns about plans for St Vincent’s Community Nursing Unit in Mountmellick, where a new wing costing approximately €31 million to €32 million is due to open.
While welcoming the investment, he said the development would not increase the facility’s overall capacity because two existing 25-bed wards are scheduled to close when residents transfer to the new building.
He called for St Anne’s Ward, which he said had been refurbished in recent years and was HIQA approved, to remain open.
According to Deputy Stanley, retaining the ward would increase Mountmellick’s capacity from 58 to 83 beds without requiring additional capital expenditure.
In Abbeyleix, he highlighted the need for a new modular day care centre to free up space currently occupied within the hospital.
He said Abbeyleix Hospital has 22 respite and step-down beds, while six potential bed spaces are currently being used to accommodate the day care centre.
Deputy Stanley argued that relocating the service would allow the hospital to increase its available bed capacity.
Responding on behalf of the Taoiseach, Minister Helen McEntee acknowledged the growing demands on healthcare services and pointed to increased Government investment.
She said Budget 2027 included an additional €1.6 billion in current health spending and €160 million in capital funding.
Minister McEntee also highlighted recent investment in Portlaoise Hospital, including expanded facilities and an increase of approximately 5.8% in staffing.
Addressing the proposed 48-bed development, she said the Government remained committed to progressing the project.
“I reassure the Deputy and reaffirm that there is funding and that work is under way for the 48 beds in Portlaoise, recognising the demand that is there,” she said.
She added that 1,493 acute inpatient beds, 88 critical care beds and 396 community beds had been opened nationally since the end of 2020.
However, Deputy Stanley stressed that the Government must plan for the future needs of Laois rather than simply responding to existing pressures.
He pointed to the county’s population growth in recent decades and warned that a further increase of approximately one-third would place considerable additional demands on healthcare services.
“The critical thing at the moment is hospital care,” he said.
He also praised the dedication of healthcare workers in Portlaoise, Mountmellick and Abbeyleix, saying they continued to provide excellent care despite the pressures facing their facilities.
Deputy Stanley urged the Minister for Health to visit St Anne’s Ward in Mountmellick and approve the proposed day care centre in Abbeyleix.
While the Government confirmed that funding and preparatory work were progressing for the Portlaoise development, no specific completion date was provided for the proposed 48-bed wing.
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