No new beds in Portlaoise hospital extension, clarifies HSE
HSE had said a new three story extension would deliver nearly 48 beds
Plans for the new extension at Portlaoise hospital will complete a wider fire safety upgrade programme and are separate from a 48-bed extension that’s in the pipeline for the Laois health facility.
However, in a statement responding to the Leinster Express / Laois Live clarifying the purpose of the upcoming construction of a three-storey wing, the HSE said there is potential for the new wing to support the two new 24-bed wards. These beds hinge on the green light from the Government, which has signalled a 628-bed expansion across the HSE Dublin Midlands region..
The health authority issued a statement in which it said it wished to clarify the position regarding the recently submitted planning application for Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise (MRPH).
“The current planning application submitted to Laois County Council relates to a proposed three-storey extension that will deliver important fire safety and infrastructure improvements at the hospital. The development includes a new lift and stair core, an enhanced means of escape for patients and staff, improved roof access for maintenance, replacement ancillary accommodation and accessible staff facilities. These works form part of the final phase of the hospital's wider fire safety upgrade programme.
“The planning application does not seek permission for a new 48-bed ward development,” said the HSE’s Dublin Midlands Group.
It continued: “References to a 48-bed expansion relate to a separate proposed infrastructure project for Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise. As previously announced by the Minister, approval has been granted to appoint a design team to progress design for the proposed new development.
“While it is the hospital's current intention that two floors of the proposed three-storey extension could, as part of the wider future infrastructure programme, support two 24-bed wards, the current planning application does not specify the future clinical use of that space,” said the HSE. MORE BELOW PHOTO.
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The statement summarised that the planning application currently before Laois County Council is for fire safety and supporting infrastructure works and that the proposed 48-bed expansion is a separate project that remains at the design development stage.
MRHP currently has 171 patient beds, which include 69 inpatient beds, including medical, surgical, obstetrics, paediatric and critical care beds. These are supported by 19 day beds, 10 AMAU/ASAU and 3 Maternity Assessment Unit beds.
Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill officially opened the new Adult and Paediatric Emergency Department two-storey extension at the hospital in 2026. It was during her visit that she revealed that a 48-unit complex was being designed.
“I am delighted to be announcing this significant expansion of hospital beds across 10 hospitals in the Dublin Midlands region. This investment recognises that our growing and ageing population are placing more demands on our healthcare services, and I am determined to drive forward with expansion that ensures people have access to the right care in the right place at the right time,” said Minister MacNeill in May 2026.
It is a decade since the HSE drew up plans to carry out a major downgrade of Portlaoise hospital, which would have seen the A&E shut, surgery removed, and maternity and paediatrics transferred to other hospitals. This led to major protests in 2017 that culminated in the downgrade being abandoned.