Minister and HSE appear to be on the same page on future of Portiuncula Hospital

There is increasing cause for optimism that Portiuncula University Hospital will see a restoration of its maternity services, with the HSE CEO and Minister for Health both making positive soundings on the issue over the past week.

Outgoing HSE CEO Bernard Gloster told the Oireachtas Health Committee that there are no plans to close the Portiuncula University Hospital maternity unit – although he could not give a timescale on when the decision that Portiuncula no longer accept high-risk pregnancies might be reversed.

Since the end of October, Portiuncula University Hospital has not been taking bookings from women in higher risk categories.

Around the same time last week Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill met with Galway East TD Pete Roche and Ballinasloe Cllr Alan Harney to discuss the hospital’s future.

“The Minister has been clear in her position that a restoration of services could be delivered when the conditions allow and the necessary service improvements have been made,” said Cllr Harney.

“It was also positive to hear from Bernard Gloster that the HSE are now aligned with the Minister’s position – which has not always been the case,” he added.

He pointed to the fact that Portiuncula has scored highly in the Maternity Patients Experience Survey for 2025 and that the implementation of the recommendations identified in the Coulter Smith Report is now well progressed.

“The remaining five reviews are due to be completed by March and I hope we will see a timely implementation of any additional action items,” he said.

“I have remaining questions about the governance failings within the HSE which allowed this issues to occur so soon after the publication of the Walker Report in 2018 and the decision to transfer higher risk births away from Portiuncula.

“Particularly, new risks created by forcing those women to travel longer distances to avail of maternity services. This is not something I want to see continue in the long term.

“Overall, the focus now needs to be ensuring safety and improved governance at Portiuncula so we can see the circumstances which would allow for a restoration of full services.

“I will continue to engage with the HSE and the Minister on behalf of the people who want to see this service restored,” he added.

Pictured: Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll McNeill discussing the future of Portiuncula Hospital with Cllr Alan Harney and Deputy Pete Roche.