Naas General Hospital To Get 48 New Beds As Health Minister Says Hospital Waiting Lists "Are Falling"

Thursday, 30 May 2024 09:54

By Martin Osborne

Minister Stephen Donnelly announced the plans on Kildare Today.

Naas General Hospital is getting 48 new beds.

Discussing the plans on Kildare Today, Minister Stephen Donnelly said it marks the biggest expansion of bed capacity in the health service in several decades, with a total of 3,352 additional acute inpatient beds planned for delivery across three tranches up to 2031.

When challenged on overcrowding issues and under pressure staff, he said waiting lists "are falling".

The Irish Nurses' and Midwives' Organisation says the beds are pointless without a workplace plan in place.

It welcomed the announcement but says the delivery of the beds is entirely contingent on correct and safe staffing levels.

Colm Porter, the union's assistant director of industrial relations, says the number of undergraduate nursing and midwifery places need to be increased to achieve this.

More from Local News

Hundreds Tested For Alcohol And Drugs In Kildare As Report Highlights Ongoing Role In Fatal Crashes

Audio

Gardaí warn they’ll be targeting impaired drivers at checkpoints nationwide on the run-up to Christmas.
As Storm Bram Approaches, Kildare Council Warns Of Hazardous Conditions And Risk Of Fallen Trees

Met Éireann says Storm Bram will be a multi-hazard event, bringing strong winds and an increased risk of flooding.
Water Outage Planned For Parts Of Kill From 9pm Tomorrow Night

The outage is scheduled from 9pm on Tuesday, December 9th, until 5am on Wednesday, December 10th.
Kilcullen Driver Caught Speeding 159km/h In 80km/h Zone

The data comes as gardaí issued its first update on the national Christmas road-safety operation, which runs from 1 December to 5 January 2026
Maynooth's Paul Mescal Nominated For Golden Globe

He's up for Best Supporting Actor for his role as William Shakespeare in 'Hamnet'
End of An Era: Perry’s Supermarket In Athy To Shut Its Doors At The End Of This Month

Perry’s previously operated from two locations - on Duke Street and Leinster Street - before consolidating operations on Leinster Street in recent years.
Canal Side Homes In Athy Conservation Area May Be Replaced With New Builds, Council Says

Kildare County Council says a feasibility study has been carried out and submitted to the Planning Department, examining whether the existing buildings can be adapted for social housing or whether they should be replaced with new builds on the current footprint.
Ho Ho No: Environmentalists Write To Naas Councillors Urging Rejection Of Free Christmas Parking Plan

The group has written to Naas Municipal District members ahead of tomorrow’s meeting, urging them to reject a proposal to suspend pay parking from December 15th to 31st next year.