Additional beds cut Portiuncula overcrowding
Portiuncula University Hospital has experienced a massive reduction in overcrowding – despite high Emergency Department attendances – because more beds were opened in Ballinasloe.
Portiuncula has slashed the numbers waiting on trollies by 33% in 2024, and by a further 26% in 2025, the HSE confirmed.
The positive figures were relayed to Galway County Councillor Donagh Killilea (FF) at the latest HSE West Regional Health Forum.
Councillor Killilea hailed the figures as a good news story. Praising the staff of Portiuncula he said he was sick of the negativity surrounding the Ballinasloe hospital.
Ann Cosgrove, HSE Integrated Health Area Manager for Galway/Roscommon confirmed that for most of last year, Portiuncula “has not been in escalation”. That contrasts with University Hospital Galway, where overcrowding persists and elective surgeries were postponed on several occasions this winter.
"This is due to the opening of twelve additional beds in 2024 and six beds in 2025,” Ms Cosgrove said.
In January of this year, attendances increased by 20% compared with January 2025; and total attendances at PUH's Emergency Department last year was 33,125.
"For a number of singular days in January 2026 the site was in escalation and for this reason 33 day case procedures were deferred. All of these patients have been re-scheduled and the site has returned to normal activity from the third week of January 2026,” Ms Cosgrove said of Portiuncula.
Councillor Donagh Killilea said this was a ‘phenomenal’ performance and it comes on top of the latest government announcement of investment of €3.4m in new healthcare infrastructure in the Ballinasloe area.
HSE’s Building Equipment Capital Plan for 2026 recently announced by Government included funding for an appraisal of a new ambulance base in Ballinasloe.
It also included funding for design works to expand the Emergency Department at Portiuncula, as well as fire upgrade works.