Surgical hubs for Cork and Limerick years behind schedule 

Delays come despite government commitment in December 2022 that hubs would be open within 18 months

Hubs are expected to help relieve congestion at those hospitals worst affected by overcrowding, including Cork University Hospital (CUH). Picture: Larry Cummins

As the country's hospitals continue to battle chronic overcrowding, the HSE has admitted it is years behind schedule in creating surgical hubs that would help ease the pressure.

First announced in 2022, the hubs were meant to be up and running by the end of 2024. However, it has now emerged that in Limerick, where the overcrowding is at its worst, the HSE only bought the former school that is to house the hub in the last couple of weeks. The building has yet to be demolished. In Cork, which had 87 patients on trolleys on Tuesday, the hub will not open until at least mid-2026