A record €25.8 billion budget has been provided for the delivery of health services in 2025.
This includes:
- €33 million investment in 2025 to provide more and better cancer services.
- Publicly funded HRT products for women experiencing symptoms of menopause and extension of publicly funded IVF as part of €35 million measures for women’s healthcare
- More and better services to be delivered in areas of mental health, older people and for those dealing with addiction.
The funding represents an overall increase of €2.94 billion on the January 2024 allocation, recognising the challenges of inflation and the increased demand on services due to a growing and ageing population.
The Department of Health said the budget would provide for more than 3,300 additional staff in our health and social care services, deliver 335 additional hospital beds, expand services, deliver increased productivity and continue the reductions in waiting lists and trolley numbers.
“Budget 2025 includes significant increases on 2024 in areas such as:
- Acute Hospitals (up 22% to €9.9 billion)
- Mental Health (up 10% to a record €1.48 billion)
- Older Persons Services (up €349 million to €3 billion)
- Palliative Care (up 13% to €179 million)
- National Ambulance Service (up 13% to €280 million)
The 2025 health Budget includes €1.2 billion allocated for existing level of service, €1.5 billion additional funding for 2024 pressures and €335 million in additional new measures.
Highlights include:
- €49.5 million to provide 335 more hospital beds.
- €33 million to develop cancer services including full funding for the National Cancer Strategy.
- €21.5 million additional funding to increase Home Support hours to 24 million in 2025.
- Investment of €30 million in new medicines through increased savings in the medicines budget.
- €35 million women’s health package including provision of free Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and expanded access to Assisted Human Reproduction (AHR) services.
- €6 million to expand Injury Units.
Budget 2025 also includes €0.9 billion of funding, initially introduced for one-off measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, that has now been made permanent. This will allow permanent funding to continue to reduce waiting lists. €420 million be allocated to the HSE and NTPF in 2025 for waiting list initiatives, a €60 million increase on 2024 funding.
Health Minister, Stephen Donnelly said, “Investment in our health service is now at its highest level in the history of the State. Budget 2025 sees an increase of almost €3 billion on 2024, supporting the continued expansion and delivery of quality services as we continue to ensure everyone is able to get the health care they need, when they need it.
“Whether it’s an appointment with a GP, a home care package for a loved one, an X-ray or MRI, quick access to emergency care or a minor injury unit, an appointment with a hospital consultant or surgery, Budget 2025 is all about making this a reality for more and more patients and families. We are living longer and living better, but our growing and ageing population place additional demands on our services. We continue to respond to these challenges, and we are placing a strong focus on more productivity alongside investment in increased capacity and in workforce planning to ensure we can meet the needs of our healthcare service into the future.
“The 2025 Health Budget will see spending on Mental Health rise to almost €1.5 billion. This marks the fifth consecutive year that an increase in funding has been provided to develop and support mental health services – an increase of 43.7% over the lifetime of this Government. This clearly underscores the focus this Government has placed on ensuring that our mental health services are safe, accessible, modern, and person-centered.
Minister for Mental Health and Older People, Mary Butler said, “The mental health funding I have secured will make a real and tangible contribution to the enhancement of mental health services in this country. This record investment will support further developments in youth mental health supports, the national clinical programmes, and the continued roll-out of Sharing the Vision and Connecting for Life, our national mental health and suicide reduction policies.
“In this year’s mental health budget, I have been able to put a clear focus on children’s mental health, and I have particularly targeted initiatives that support children and young people as they transition from child to adult mental health services, to ensure that they can continue to access the supports that they need.”
For Older Persons Services, year-on-year funding has increased by €349 million, with additional funding secured for home support hours, nursing homes and dementia.
Minister Butler said, “Our older people’s budget is now almost €3 billion. I have secured over €120 million for our home support services, to help older people live in their own homes for as long as possible. This means we will be able to deliver 24 million home support hours to almost 60,000 people in 2025. Since taking office, dementia supports have been a priority for me, and this focus continues in Budget 2025, with ringfencing of 20% of new home support hours for dementia, more dementia advisers, and expanded diagnostic services.
“I have also secured an extra €72 million for nursing homes to support the Fair Deal scheme and help our nursing homes to meet rising costs. There will also be additional funding for the Carer’s Guarantee, to help us provide a package of supports to family carers in every region”.
Drugs initiatives will be boosted by €4.2 million funding, with a focus on expansion of community drug and alcohol treatment centre services to respond to increased demand. €1 million has been allocated for the national roll-out of integrated community alcohol treatment services, ensuring full geographic coverage across all health regions.
A further €500,000 will fund a national drug prevention and public health awareness programme in collaboration with community partners.
Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drug Strategy Colm Burke said, “Drug addiction affects not just those who use drugs but also their families and their communities, so it is vital that we provide addiction services and supports wherever they are needed. I am delighted therefore to have secured €2 million to further develop our community-based drugs services.
“Of course, prevention is our primary aim, so I’m very pleased to have secured funding for awareness campaigns and harm reduction initiatives to help protect our young people from the harms associated with drug use.”
Budget 2025 also provides for initiatives to protect and improve population health. €1.2 million will support the extension of the Healthy Communities programme to an additional four areas in 2025, reaching an additional 100,000 people.
In line with the Government’s commitment to create a tobacco-free Ireland and recognising the link between youth vaping and tobacco smoking, a vaping awareness campaign will be delivered, targeted at 12–17-year-olds.
Additional resources are also being allocated to improve breastfeeding supports, including lactation consultants and provision of breast pumps for mothers of pre-term and sick infants. Funding is also provided to scale up evidence-based programmes on men’s health with a focus on health inequalities.
Capacity at HIV PrEP (pre-exposure Prophylaxis) clinics is also being expanded to meet demand.
Minister Burke said, “In line with Healthy Ireland principles, we’re investing in initiatives that support improved overall health and wellbeing for the whole population including mental health promotion. I’m also pleased today to be announcing additional funding for the in-demand PrEP service, and for further supports for breastfeeding mothers. I’m also very encouraged by the success of our Healthy Communities programme to date and look forward to commencing work on its expansion in 2025.”
