HSE Launches €29 Billion National Service Plan with Record Disability Investment
Ireland's Health Service Executive has published its National Service Plan for 2026, backed by a budget of €29 billion and featuring a landmark €3.8 billion investment in disability services — a 20% increase from 2025 — alongside ambitious targets to reduce waiting times and expand community-based care across the country.
The plan, published in December 2025 and now being implemented, represents the most comprehensive roadmap for Irish healthcare delivery in recent years. It outlines a decisive shift towards community-based care, with significant investment in home support, mental health services, and digital health infrastructure.
Background
The HSE has been under sustained pressure to reduce waiting times for both emergency and scheduled care, with long waits for hospital treatment and specialist appointments remaining a significant concern for patients across Ireland. The 2026 plan sets out specific targets and investment commitments designed to address these challenges systematically.
Key Developments
The plan details the delivery of 428 new community beds and 177 acute beds, alongside five new operational surgical hubs to increase capacity for elective procedures. Home support is to be expanded to 26.7 million hours, with services extended into evenings and weekends to provide more flexible care options for patients and their families.
Mental health services will receive 300 new posts, including new specialist nursing teams in emergency departments and three new community-based Crisis Resolution Teams and Cafés. An additional €11 million is allocated for drugs and inclusion health to address service disparities for vulnerable groups including Travellers, Roma, and homeless individuals.
Digital health initiatives include expanding the Maternity and Newborn Electronic Health Record system and implementing the Shared Care Record in the Dublin South East region, laying the groundwork for a more integrated and data-driven health service.
Why It Matters
The record investment in disability services is particularly significant, reflecting a long-standing commitment to improving the quality of life for people with disabilities in Ireland. The expansion of community-based care is also a key priority, as it is widely recognised that keeping people well and supported in their own homes and communities is both better for patients and more cost-effective for the health system.
What's Next
Implementation of the plan is already underway, with the HSE working to recruit the additional staff needed to deliver the expanded services. As HSE.ie reports, the plan represents a significant step forward in the transformation of Irish healthcare.
