Martin Daly: Challenges capital plan after Ruscommon rehab unit dropped
Martin Daly raised the omission of a promised 10-bed rehabilitation unit at Ruscommon University Hospital and urged the Taoiseach to make a statement. He said the West-Northwest Health Region recorded 1,263 delayed transfers of care in 2025 linked specifically to the absence of step-down and rehabilitation capacity and criticised the unit's removal from the 2026 capital plan.
Project background
The 10-bed rehabilitation unit for Ruscommon University Hospital was first promised in 2015 and progressed to detailed design phase 1. Martin Daly said the project was included in the 2025 capital plan but has been omitted from the 2026 capital plan after being absent in 2024 following his lobbying.
Recorded impacts on patient flow
The West-Northwest Health Region recorded 1,263 delayed transfers of care in 2025, which Daly attributed to the lack of step-down and rehabilitation capacity. He framed the unit as a practical deliverable intended to support patient flow across hospitals in Galry, Ruscommon, Mayo, Sligo and Ledergenny.
Capital plan inconsistency
Daly highlighted an inconsistent sequence in the capital programme - "15 to 23, taken out in 24, back in 25, off in 26" - and said that inserting a project into one year’s capital plan and removing it the next creates uncertainty. He said that if a project is placed in a capital programme in 2025 it should remain there in 2026 unless progressed.
Calls for political and administrative action
Daly asked the Taoiseach to make a statement and said he would pursue the issue with the minister and with the HSE. He insisted the removal should not happen and pressed for certainty on capital planning decisions.
Hospital track record cited
He recalled the role the hospital played in 2016 on the emergency department and argued that once that role was dispensed with, Ruscommon moved on to deliver services of real value. Daly presented the rehabilitation unit as a continuation of that proven service contribution.
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I want to raise an issue in the West-Northwest Health Region which recorded 1,263 delayed transfers of care in 2025 due specifically to the absence of step-down and rehabilitation capacity. Against that reality, a 10-bed rehabilitation unit promised to Ruscommon University Hospital in 2015 and had progressed to detailed design phase 1 was included in the 2025 capital plan and has now been omitted again in the 26th capital plan, having been absent in 2024 after lobbying by me. This was a practical deliverable project intended to support patient flow across hospitals in Galry, Ruscommon, Mayo, Sligo and Ledergenny. Can I ask the Taoiseach to make a statement on the matter? Early Daily raised the issue of the absence of the failure to go ahead with a 10-bed rehab unit in Ruscommon Hospital and that it was in the capital program for 2025 and taken out of 2026. 15 to 23, taken out in 24, back in 25, off in 26. That's crazy. I will, but I just, it clarifies the issue. I will pursue it. I don't think that should happen. I think we need certainty. If we're putting something into a capital program in 2025, it should be in there in 2026 if it hasn't been progressed. I would pursue that with the Minister and with the HSE because Ruscommon has proven itself to be a very good hospital for services. Remember the role we had back in 2016 on the emergency department? If we're all honest, once that role was dispensed with the hospital got on with a whole load of services that have proven of real value to the people of the year and this clearly would be another. Thank you. Thank you.
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