Regional Health Forum Minutes - HSE Dublin and South East - 19 February 2026

The minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 2 December 2025 were adopted by the Forum on the proposal of Cllr. Declan Barry and seconded by Cllr. Anna Grainger.

Members present

Cllr. Adam Wyse, Cllr. Adrienne Wallace *, Cllr. Anna Grainger, Cllr. Damien Geoghegan, Cllr. Daniel Pender, Cllr. Declan Barry, Cllr. Dermot Lacey, Cllr. Fergal Browne, Cllr. Frank Staples, Cllr. Ger Carthy, Cllr. Ger Frisby, Cllr. Jacqueline Burke, Cllr. Jim Gildea, Cllr. Joe Behan, Cllr. Joe Sullivan, Cllr. John Coonan, Cllr. John Fleming, Cllr. John O’Leary, Cllr. John Pratt, Cllr. Justin Moylan, Cllr. Lauren Tuite *, Cllr. Liam Brazil, Cllr. Marie Murphy, Cllr. Pat Dunphy, Cllr. Patsy Glennon, Cllr. Roger Kennedy, Cllr. Thomas Joseph, Cllr. Tomás Breathnach, Cllr. Vicky Barron.

*Attended online

Apologies

Cllr. Caroline Winstanley

HSE representatives in attendance

Martina Queally, Regional Executive Officer; Emma Finn, Regional Director of Communications and Public Affairs; Roseanne Killeen, IHA Manager, Carlow Kilkenny and Tipperary South; Sinéad Reynolds, IHA Manager, Waterford Wexford; Anthony O’Hara, Capital and Estates.

Standing Orders - Update from Working Group

• Forum meetings to be held on the third Thursday of each month at 11:00am.
• Two Local Area Committees to be established: (i) Dublin South & Wicklow; (ii) Waterford, Wexford, Carlow, Kilkenny & South Tipperary.
• At Local Area Committees: members may submit two questions on their own geographical area.
• At Forum meetings: six per annum; two questions and one motion permitted per member; responses to questions to be taken as final in line with local authority practice.
• A six‑month review of Standing Orders to be undertaken.

Correspondence – Minister for Health (Vaccine Damage Scheme)

The Forum noted correspondence from the Minister for Health acknowledging the Forum’s December 2025 motion and advising that a model for a Vaccine Damage Scheme has been developed and will be brought to Cabinet for consideration.

Correspondence – Department of Health to Chair on FASD

Correspondence was noted.

2.b Regional Executive Officer Service Update

• Sláintecare implementation: continued roll‑out of the Integrated Service Delivery Model; team reorganisation and recruitment progressing; next phase due early March.
• Performance: strong focus on urgent and emergency care and cancer services; acknowledgment of staff efforts across the region.
• Winter preparedness: region recorded the highest influenza vaccine uptake among health service staff nationally; demand pressures managed through ongoing coordination.
• Communications & public affairs: ongoing engagements with local authorities and community services; acknowledgements noted, including a farewell to Mags on her final day supporting the Forum.
• IHA Updates:
  – Two new Community Nursing Units (Thomastown & Clonmel) open end‐February/early‑March.
  – Carlow Injury Unit enabling works nearing completion; target opening before end 2026.
  – Cashel Injury Unit open with planned service expansion by April.
  – St Luke’s Virtual Ward (10 ‘virtual beds’) operational since November 2026; positive feedback with expansion planned.
  – Virtual Ward model to be expanded region‑wide; governance and digital enablement in development.
  – Waterford Surgical Hub on schedule with indicative operational date Q4 2026; designed for high‑volume, low‑complexity care to protect scheduled pathways.
  – 24/7 Cardiac Catheterisation Lab: operational planning ongoing with the National Cardiac Programme; target remains 2026, with date to be confirmed.
  – Mental Health: Network of Care established to provide strategic leadership and equitable access across the region.

The first Local Area Committee meeting is to be scheduled for April, subject to the order of rotation to be agreed. Secretariat to revert with details.

(a) Primary Care Clinic, Gulistan, Rathmines, Dublin 6 – request for update (Cllr. Dermot Lacey)

Discussion noted that the site lies outside the Dublin & South East region. The Secretariat will refer the matter to the Dublin Midlands area for a formal response. Capital & Estates advised that further meetings are scheduled and an indicative planning timeline had referenced Q4 2026; updates to issue following those meetings.

(b) Pathfinder service (Carlow/Kilkenny) – resumption (Cllr. Adrienne Wallace)

The Executive confirmed the service was temporarily stood down; workshops with GPs are underway to optimise referrals. Commitment given to reinstate the service (potentially before the four‑month timeframe) and to maintain it thereafter subject to sustained utilisation.

(c) Patient parking at St Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny (Cllr. Pat Dunphy)

Noted the continued pressure on parking. Executive update: 70 off‑site spaces secured; 40 spaces reconfigured on campus in 2025; long‑term solution (multi‑story car park) included in the capital submission/campus plan.

(d) Primary Care Centre, New Ross – eTenders process (Cllr. John Fleming)

Capital & Estates advised that the tender deadline has been extended by one week.

(e) Shingles vaccination – publicly funded programme (Cllr. John Coonan)

The Forum supported advocacy to progress public funding for shingles vaccination. The Chair will write to the Minister for Health and the REO will write to the Chief Clinical Officer, Dr Colm Henry, reflecting the Forum’s position.

(f) Wexford South CAMHS – Clinical Psychologist & Occupational Therapist vacancies (Cllr. Frank Staples)

Executive update: the Psychologist has commenced; recruitment to the OT post is ongoing.

(a) Autopsies at UHW for Coroners – availability of Consultant Pathologists (Cllr. Fergal Browne)

A written response was circulated and noted. The Executive advised during discussion these post‑mortem arrangements are governed by the Department of Justice; the HSE continues to liaise with the Department on sustainable solutions.

(b) Waiting time for physiotherapy (Carlow) – medical card holders (Cllr. Fergal Browne)

A written response was circulated and noted.

(c) Allocation of proceeds from sale of Baggot Street Hospital; timeline for Primary Care Centre (adjacent site) (Cllr. Dermot Lacey)

A written response was circulated and noted.

(d) Correspondence with Department of Health on recognition and supports for FASD (Cllr. Dermot Lacey)

A written response was circulated and noted.

(e) Plans for safe drug injection centre(s) in the Forum area (Cllr. Dermot Lacey)

A written response was circulated and noted.

(f) Status of 350 healthcare staff employed by Caredoc and Section 39 (Cllr. Adrienne Wallace)

A written response was circulated and noted.

(g) Vacancies and waiting list – CDNT in Carlow (Cllr. Adrienne Wallace)

A written response was circulated and noted.

(h) Unsocial hours funding arrears for Moorehaven Centre, Tipperary Town (Cllr. Roger Kennedy)

A written response was circulated and noted.

(i) New Ambulance Station for Wexford Town (Cllr. Ger Carty)

A written response was circulated and noted.

(j) Acute mental health ward at Wexford General Hospital – status on capital plan (Cllr. Ger Carty)

A written response was circulated and noted.

(k) Delivery of a 20‑bed demountable unit at Wexford General Hospital (Cllr. Ger Carty)

A written response was circulated and noted.

(l) Vacancies at Wexford South CAMHS (Cllr. Frank Staples)

A written response was circulated and noted; see also Item 4(f).

(m) CAMHS service provision requirements and variances across Wexford teams (Cllr. Frank Staples)

A written response was circulated and noted.

(n) Presentations to Psychiatric Services in Waterford – breakdown and capacity (Cllr. Frank Staples)

A written response was circulated and noted.

(o) Suicide prevention specialist in proposed New Ross Primary Care Centre (Cllr. John Fleming)

A written response was circulated and noted.

(p) Wait times for first‑time chemotherapy appointments in the region (Cllr. Roger Kennedy)

A written response was circulated and noted.

(q) Provision of mental health services in Carlow/Kilkenny and the wider south‑east (Cllr. Daniel Pender)

A written response was circulated and noted.

The next meeting will take place on Thursday 19 March 2026 (Wicklow County Council).