While the NDP Sectoral Plan for Health includes much-needed projects to improve our health service, crucial details are missing in terms of their delivery, according to Social Democrats health spokesperson Pádraig Rice.
Deputy Rice said:
“Following the publication of an underwhelming NDP last July, this Sectoral Plan for Health is long overdue. Much of our public health infrastructure is coming apart at the seams and is in need of urgent investment.
“Many HSE buildings date back to the 1950s, with staff struggling to deliver care in settings not built for modern healthcare delivery.
“It is welcome that digital health is prioritised in this plan, but the Minister will be judged on delivery, not words. In 2023, Ireland ranked lowest among OECD countries in digital healthcare provision and digital health readiness.
“It’s been 12 years since Ireland’s first eHealth Strategy was published, but much of our health service is still reliant on paper and pen. The Minister must not follow the same well-worn path of her predecessors in failing to deliver this digital transformation.
“The construction timeline of 2026-2031 for the new National Maternity Hospital is welcome but it’s difficult, if not impossible, to have any faith in this government honouring it – not least given our experience with the National Children’s Hospital.
“When the NMH was first proposed, the project was estimated to cost around €150 million, but now we are told it will be over €1 billion. Had it been delivered on time, and in a more suitable location, costs would never have gotten so out of control.
“Elective-only hospitals were a key recommendation in Sláintecare, yet not one is even close to being delivered.
“Four elective-only hospitals – two in Dublin and one each in Cork and Galway – were to be delivered between 2027 and 2028, but we are none the wiser about delivery following publication of this plan.
“Earlier this month, we learned that the elective hospital for Cork is in jeopardy because of an issue related to access to the M8. How was this not foreseen before the site was selected?
“It is also disappointing, although unsurprising, to find no mention of a new ED for the Mid-West in this plan. A decision on this cannot be pushed out to the new year, as the Minister indicated this week. Planning must begin now – the people of the Mid-West have waited long enough.
“Finally, I still have major concerns about the HSE’s machine replacement programme for radiation therapy. I accept that the plan provides for the replacement of LINAC machines in St Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network over five years, but they’ve already two machines that are 15 years old and another two that are 17 years old.
“The internationally accepted lifespan for these machines is 10 years – machines should not be reaching breaking point before the HSE acts. For instance, we know that machines in Cork and Galway will reach their sell-by date during the lifetime of this plan, and yet there is no mention of replacing them.
“The Minister will have my full support in delivering key projects crucial to the delivery of Sláintecare, but we need less aspiration and more execution.”
November 28, 2025