Commentary on record funding ignores changing demographics, says IMO president
Measures promised in today’s Budget announcement will not be enough to address the ongoing capacity crisis in healthcare, the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has said.
Budget 2026 commits to opening an additional 220 acute hospital beds, along with 280 community beds, 500 more nursing home places and an extra 1.7 million home support hours.
The public health workforce will also increase by 3,370 next year as part of an increase of €1.5 billion, bringing the overall 2026 health budget up to a record €27.4 billion.
But the IMO said that Budget 2026 has failed to plan for a future health service that is capable of meeting the needs of a growing and ageing population.
“It is notable that in 2025 despite promises of an additional 215 beds, only one was delivered by the end of August this year,” said a statement from the organisation.
“While the 96 beds due imminently in Limerick are welcome, this still falls far short of what is actually required.
“No additional investment has been targeted to General Practice despite the evidence that structured care for patients in the GP setting will reduce presentations and admission to hospitals.”
IMO president Dr Anne Dee said: “Budget 2026 has unfortunately failed to deliver the funding and planning needed to cater for a growing and ageing population. Any commentary around record levels of funding for the health service ignores our demographic reality, as well as the cost of new medical and therapeutic interventions.”
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) said the announcement lacked ambition and an awareness of the ‘severe staffing crisis in our hospitals and in the community’.
Its general secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said: “Our members are about to work another extremely busy autumn and winter period where their workplaces are not staffed correctly.
“The HSE has confirmed that they have left 6,000 funded posts vacant in 2025. This level of inertia when it comes to staffing means nurses, midwives and other healthcare workers work short and patients spend longer on waiting lists and waiting for care in hospitals.”
No change in excise duty on alcohol was also criticised by healthcare groups. The group that represents patients and families living with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) expressed disappointment with Budget 2026, saying it does nothing to support people living with this condition.
“Once again, the Government has failed to acknowledge the real harm caused by alcohol in our society,” said FASD Ireland chief executive Tristan Casson-Rennie.
“Not a single cent of new tax has been placed on alcohol, and there is no mention whatsoever of an Alcohol Related Harm Fund — a measure long recommended by FASD Ireland and Alcohol Action.
“Such a fund operates successfully in countries like New Zealand, where it supports prevention, awareness, and early intervention. Ireland could and should do the same.”
The Irish Heart Foundation expressed disappointment at the 50 cent Budget increase on a pack of cigarettes, which it said was insufficient to drive significant reductions in Irish smoking rates.
“The Government had a target of getting smoking rates down to 5% by 2025 under the Tobacco Free Ireland policy – the actual rate of 17% puts us in the region of half a million smokers short of that objective,” said the charity’s director of advocacy Chris Macey.
“In our pre-Budget submission, the Irish Heart Foundation called for a €1.55 increase to bring the price of a pack to €20 – or €1 per cigarette.
“If we are serious about eliminating the toll of 12 deaths every day caused by smoking, a much tougher approach to tobacco taxes is unavoidable.”
