472 new acute hospital beds will come on stream at four Cork hospitals between now and 2030
The announcement comes as health professionals at Cork University Hospital say the only way to effectively tackle the overcrowding crisis is by building more beds
342 of the new beds are allocated for CUH, 82 for the Mercy and 24 each at Mallow and Bantry hospitals
Speaking to RedFM News Tanaiste Micheal Martin said he's confident the extra capacity will alleviate some of the pressure on the system
"This is very good news. It will significantly add to bed capacity in the Cork area, and particularly in CUH and the Mercy, and it will mean more timely treatments for people, better planning in the hospital itself and the organisation of the existing hospital capacity"
