Intensifying scrutiny over Ireland’s public healthcare infrastructure has emerged in light of new data indicating a significant reduction in available dementia care beds, despite projections suggesting that the number of dementia cases will more than double by 2050, reports 24brussels.
Data revealed by Labour Party health spokesperson Marie Sherlock shows that the number of Health Service Executive (HSE)-funded beds for dementia patients dropped by over 12 percent from 403 in 2020 to 353 in 2024. Long-stay beds specifically saw a decline from 394 to 332, while respite beds, although increasing from 9 to 21, remain critically limited.
“It is clear that the Government must invest in greater public bed capacity, including with dementia beds,” Sherlock stated.
The steepest decline has occurred in the Dublin and North-East health region, where long-stay bed capacity nearly halved from 84 beds in 2020 to just 46 last year.
“There is an appallingly low number of HSE-funded respite beds, despite an ageing population and growing need,” Sherlock emphasized. “I have met older, fit people who are caring for their loved ones and are struggling because they are providing care 24/7. Respite bed capacity needs urgent attention.”
Rising dementia numbers
Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, impacts cognitive functions such as memory and daily task management. Projections indicate that the number of individuals living with dementia in Ireland is set to rise from 55,000 in 2018 to 141,200 by mid-century.
“We know that the number of people with dementia will double by 2050. We do not see forward planning but rather a whittling down of public bed capacity,” Sherlock warned.
The HSE reports that 719 individuals with dementia are currently awaiting placement. However, many of these individuals may have already sought care via private or voluntary providers or are wait-listed across multiple HSE facilities.
The Health Service Executive is implementing a capital investment programme aimed at enhancing Ireland’s community nursing infrastructure. This initiative encompasses refurbishing existing community nursing units (CNUs) and constructing new facilities.
Modernisation squeeze
The primary goal of this initiative is to compensate for bed capacity lost due to closures mandated by the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa), ensuring compliance with modern regulatory standards. The HSE stated that as part of this transformation, publicly managed nursing homes are undergoing substantial structural changes.
Temporary fluctuations in bed availability have arisen due to these upgrades as older units are brought up to compliance or completely replaced, the HSE told the Irish Times.
Sherlock argues for a more proactive approach from the state regarding elder care provision. “We need investment and for the state to take a leading role. The state must develop new public long-term residential care, through community nursing homes, to meet the needs of our ageing population. We know that in Ireland, for example, 30 percent of nursing homes were privately owned 20 years ago, rising to nearly 80 percent now. The private sector has replaced the state in elder care provision,” she stated.
Additionally, she called for enhanced European involvement in dementia-related research and innovation. “The EU has a role to play in terms of diagnostics, research and development, particularly in fostering collaboration between states and through research programmes (such as Horizon Europe) in relation to brain health, diagnostics, and therapeutics,” Sherlock said.
As Ireland’s population ages, the balancing act between home-based support and institutional capacity becomes increasingly pressing. Critics assert that without strategic investment and planning, the system risks being overwhelmed.
