The Minister for Health, Mr Martin today sanctioned the funding of a number of new units in acute and non-acute hospitals throughout the country.
Following talks with the Department of Finance during July, Mr Martin is able to allocate almost €85 million in funding for the running of the new units - some of which have been completed for months - and 1200 new staff.
"These developments will provide modern health facilities particularly in relation to cancer care, medical assessment units and accident and emergency departments," said Mr Martin.
The new units will provide over 200 additional beds between in-patient and day places and, when fully operational, will increase in-patient and day case activity by up to 40,000 per year.
"When these new units are open and combined with the 709 beds provided for in phase one of the bed capacity initiative we remain on target to provide an additional 3,000 beds over 10 years as outlined in the health strategy," the Minister added.
The new facilities include:
- New A&E departments at Cork University Hospital, Naas General Hospital and Roscommon County Hospital
- New surgical block, intensive care unit, operating theatres and A&E department at James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Blanchardstown
- New maternity suite at Letterkenny General Hospital
- New medical assesment unit at Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar.