HSE injects over €6 m into Laois hospitals and health facilities

Hospital facilities in Portlaoise and Mountmellick are the main beneficiaries from the 2026 round of capital investment of public money by the HSE in Laois, with the package also including a substantial sum to advance a big primary care centre in Portlaoise.

Details of what is earmarked for Laois by the HSE are revealed in its Building and Equipment Capital Plan for 2026, approved by the Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, on February 24.

This plan sees €6,168,920 million approved to Laois, as part of a €1.3 billion national allocation for the development and enhancement of healthcare infrastructure.

Over half the money goes to three projects as follows:

• €1,684,2000 for fire safety improvement construction works at Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise
• €1,122,800 for a detailed design of refurbishment Works for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Team 3 in St Fintan’s Hospital, Portlaoise
• €1,180,000  for HIQA compliance programme of construction works at the new St Vincent's Hospital, 50 bed CNU in Moutmellick

The only other construction project proposed is €260,000 for the purchase and refurbishment of a property adjacent to Portlaoise MRH for on-call accommodations for doctors.

The rest of the planned spending will go mainly to either appraisal reports or designs on a variety of projects. The biggest of these is €673,680 for a detailed design of the planned HSE Primary Care Centre at the St Fintan's Hospital campus in Portlaoise, which was recently granted planning permission. MORE BELOW PHOTO.

Some money has been allocated to the new wing at Portlaoise hospital, which is now operational.

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Funding is also being provided to appraise the next phase of work promised at St Vincent's in Mountmellick, where more new beds are planned. The €140,350 allocated to the project also includes consideration of how to refurbish existing facilities.

Money has also been allocated to appraise the extension of Mountrath Primary Care Centre and a new community mental health centre in Portlaoise to replace the Trogue Centre.

Most of the money allocated in the plan is going to either Portlaoise hospital or St Fintan's.

The HSE plans to spend €168,420 to help decide if more money is needed at the Midlands Regional Hospital. The HSE has also committed to spending €196,490 to come up with detailed designs for a so-called Hub 24 at St Fintan's. This will be a new building that provides long term accomodation for older people.

Laois Government TDs Willie Aird and Seán Fleming welcomed the funding on the day it was announced.

“The investments set out in the 2026 HSE Capital plan show our commitment to improve Laois’s health service facilities and ensure better access to care for our patients. Investing in our health service is important as our population grows, with many people living longer, healthier lives.

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“Today’s announcement is very welcome news, bringing healthcare services closer to home and better meeting the needs of patients and families right across our community,” he said.

He said the money to advance the new Portlaoise Primary Care Centre is an important step in bringing expanded healthcare services closer to the community.

Deputy Fleming is also pleased.

"Today’s announcement will see the vital progression of key projects across Co Laois that will ensure we have robust health services and infrastructure to meet the demand of our growing population.

"The continued significant investment in health underlines the government’s commitment to improving quality healthcare in a sustainable way, especially here in Co Laois.

"The investment today will get many key projects that have been in the pipeline started and bring many others that have been worked on over the line," he said.

Dep Fleming urged the HSE to advance immediately concluding projects as soon as possible for the benefit of the health services for the people in Laois.

The HSE say spending may vary from the allocations announced.