HSE open additional beds in Usher’s Island Health & Addiction Care Facility, Dublin

Usher’s Island Health and Addiction Care Facility is a collaborative project between the Dept. of Health, the HSE and Dublin Simon Community to improve access to healthcare services and support the health and addiction care needs of homeless adults.

The purpose-built facility, operated by Dublin Simon Community on behalf of the HSE, is the result of significant investment by the Department of Health and commenced delivery of specialist, recovery-focused healthcare to people experiencing homelessness and addiction in this new facility in October 2024.

In line with plans to further develop and expand services at the facility, the HSE are delighted to announce the opening of a 12-bedded health & addiction stabilisation service in July 2025, which is a result of €4.9m of additional funding allocated by the Dept. of Health for the operation of this facility in 2025, and brings the total number of beds available for treatment to 63.

This new service development will be a key enabler for health stabilisation, providing the supports to stabilise substance use and harm reduction, adding an additional approximate 220 episodes of care for service users and enabling access pathways to effective interventions such as detox, long-term recovery and housing stability.

Following the opening of this new service, the expanded healthcare services delivered in Usher's Island will provide tailored clinical pathways for service users through four key services: alcohol and benzodiazepine detox, health & addiction stabilisation, recovery-focused support, and step-up / step-down medical care.

The service is staffed by experienced GP's, nurses and addiction specialists who work closely with community and hospital-based services to deliver service user centred care. The delivery of these treatment services provides for compassionate and effective care for a highly vulnerable population, integrated into the health system and guided by the governments Sláintecare strategy. An evaluation of the service will be commissioned in 2026 as part of the new service development and further incremental expansion of the capacity of the facility will be considered in the 2026 Estimates process in line with service need and demand.

Regional Executive Officer for the Dublin & Midlands Region, Ms. Kate Killeen White noted:

“The expansion of this valuable health and addiction care service in Ushers Island is a very positive development for our service users across Dublin, Kildare and West Wicklow. The addition of a Stabilisation service at the facility, which will also be supported by an expansion in weekend GP services, will assist in further addressing health inequalities, support step up and step down needs with our acute and inclusion health teams, and align with our aim to deliver the right care, at the right time and in the right place. The Primary Care and Social Inclusion team continue to work closely with Dublin Simon Community to optimise service user pathways, maximise all available resources, and to plan for future expansion of the facility as part of the Estimates process with the Department of Health”.

Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said:

“Our investment in the operational costs of the new health and addiction care facility on Usher’s Island is having a transformative impact on the lives of people dealing with addiction. Funding of €4.9 million in 2025 is enabling the opening of an additional 12 beds, bringing the total to 63. Thanks to the HSE team working on this vital project which reflects our commitment to enhancing healthcare services to address the complex health needs of people who are homeless.”

Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy Jennifer Murnane O’Connor TD said:

“I’ve seen first-hand how this facility is providing vital supports to adults who are homeless.  Usher’s Island provides a secure base where vulnerable people can access addiction services in safety, and where a wide range of health needs are met with care and compassion by dedicated experts. The additional capacity means we can support over 1,000 treatment episodes of care annually for people who are homeless in Dublin City, including residential treatment for drug-related issues. Increasing capacity in addiction treatment services is a priority for me and will be a key focus in the upcoming new National Drugs Strategy.”