The Health Service Executive has been directed to establish more public hospitals into groups, so there can be improved management and efficiency.
Minister for Health James Reilly has issued a directive to the executive under the Health Act 2004 to set up hospital groups across the country.
Hospital groups have already been set up in the HSE West and the Mid West regions.
The plan is that, in time, there will be hospital groups in the same geographic region under one budget, a set employment ceiling and group chief executives appointed.
The Programme for Government says public hospitals will become independent not-for-profit trusts with managers accountable to their boards.
Dr James Reilly said primary legislation will be needed to give full effect to the changes planned but it should be possible in the interim to implement many of the changes on an administrative basis.
