The new draft Programme for Government says the government will open the new National Children's Hospital, and will build the new National Maternity Hospital, however no dates are set out.
It also promises to increase the number of GPs and bring forward a new, modern GP contract.
It says that those found in possession of drugs for personal use will be diverted to health services.
Legislation to regulate the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service is promised, as well as measures to attract and retain staff in the service.
The plan says free GP services will be extended to children up to at least 12 years, and a further extension will be kept under review.
Paediatric spinal surgery
The programme says the government is committed to maintaining the Paediatric Spinal Surgery Management Unit, to ensure ongoing improvements in the paediatric orthopaedic service to ensure "children with scoliosis and spina bifida are treated quickly and safely".
It promises to reduce hospital waiting times to the Sláintecare target of all patients being seen within 10 to 12 weeks.
ED overcrowding
A reduction in emergency department overcrowding is also promised.
The programme says that capacity in emergency departments will continue to be reviewed, and more beds will be opened at University Hospital Limerick.
It will also take account of the HIQA review of the Mid West Region, due this summer.
The document says the government will ensure the planned roll-out of free HTR medicines is available at no cost for the drug/product.
The recruitment of extra doctors, nurses, dentists and health and social care professionals is promised under the new draft Programme for Government.
It says it will also look at measures to attract and retain staff in the health and social care sector.
An increase in the number of public-only consultants is also promised.
Hospital bed capacity
The programme says that hospital bed capacity will be increased by between 4,000 and 4,500 new and refurbished beds.
The intensive care bed capacity will be increased by at least a further 100 beds.
The programme promises to increase the number of consultants in emergency medicine by 50% and ensure more senior staff are rostered in emergency departments during weekends and public holidays.
Analysis: Many health commitments familiar issues, unresolved
Many of the health commitments in the draft new Programme for Government will be familiar issues, and many still unresolved.
Hospital overcrowding, health staffing and opening the new National Children's Hospital, to name a few.
The last programme for government published in 2020 was undoubtedly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, however the national public health emergency has been over since 2022.
This new draft programme promises between 4,000 to 4,5000 "new and refurbished" hospital beds, over the five year term. So some of these beds will not be new.
In its General Election campaign, Fine Gael committed to 5,000 more beds, while Fianna Fáil promised over 4,000 plus more ICU beds.
So the landing area on this area is in and around those figures.
Exactly how many health staff will be recruited for these new beds is unclear, but the programme promises more doctors nurses, dentists and other staff.
To try and ease hospital overcrowding, the number of consultants in emergency medicine will be increased by 50%.
The continued review of capacity in emergency departments is also promised, along with many other measures that have been mentioned before. The plan does not set out in heavy detail how a significant reduction in daily overcrowding will be achieved and by when.
It says the new National Children's Hospital will open and a new National Maternity Hospital will be built. Both projects were referenced in the last programme for government.
The new programme says the ages for BreastCheck (currently eligible age range 50 to 69 ) and bowel screening (59 to 69) will be extended.
The last programme promised this extension would extend to women aged 69 years and older, and bowel screening for all aged 55 to 74, but it has not happened yet.
Also, the new programme promises to design a statutory homecare scheme, to allow people stay in their own home, for as long as possible. It would be like the existing nursing home Fair Deal Scheme. This was promised in the previous programme for government.
The programme published today also repeats the long-term plan under Sláintecare to have all patients to be seen within 10 to 12 weeks for outpatients or in-patient or day case care.
