EU Currents: Revitalizing Morale In Ireland’s Healthcare Sector
Background
Irish health unions have sounded the alarm around low morale in the nation’s health service. A recent survey from the Irish Medical Organization (IMO) shows that more than 94% of doctors report having low to moderate morale.
Of those respondents, more than 67% stated that their morale has deteriorated within the last year. The survey also asserts that low morale has negative impacts on performance, trust, professional relationships and the physical and mental wellbeing of health care workers.
The IMO appeared before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health to voice these concerns alongside the Irish Nurses & Midwives Organization (INMO), Services Industrial Professional and Technical Union (SIPTU) and Fórsa.
The morale issue reflects a deeper systemic problem within the Irish healthcare system. Ireland, like many nations in the European Union, has a healthcare system that is not adequately staffed, which has drastically affected the morale of existing workers. Furthermore, Ireland’s rapidly aging population is exacting strain on the healthcare apparatus and contributing to the drop in morale.
Turnover of experienced staff, due to either retirement or finding employment in other sectors, is also hurting the overall morale, as younger, less experienced staff members end up shouldering the load when these individuals transition out of healthcare. The ongoing cost of living crisis also places a burden on healthcare workers on all levels.
Sláintecare: A “Patient-Centered” Approach
Sláintecare, a ten-year strategy launched by the government in 2017 that seeks to allow medical access based on need rather than ability to pay. The public-based program has slowly made reforms within the Irish healthcare system, one reform being the division of the Health Service Executive’s (HSE) area of responsibility into six regions across Ireland.
Sláintecare’s goal with this action was to focus on a more “patient-centered” approach to healthcare, also enabling healthcare providers to focus on the specific needs of each region rather than using a top-down, one-size-fits-all strategy.
According to research from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), the nation requires more than 2,231 additional public health and community nurses within the next 15 years. A large part of this need is driven by the aging population and projections of population growth.
“Our findings show that substantial expansion of the HSE Primary and Community Care workforce will be required across all regions and across all staff categories examined in this report,” said Dr. Aoife Brick, Senior Research Officer at ESRI and lead author of the report.
Upgrading The Current System
The Irish healthcare system operates in a notably different way from its EU counterparts: The nation lacks a universal healthcare system, with many citizens unable to obtain healthcare for free through public funding.
The current system divides individuals into two different tiers: Category 1 individuals qualify for free primary care based on age, income or chronic health concerns. Category 1 makes up only about 42% of Ireland’s total population. The remainder of individuals are covered under Category 2.
Category 2 covers individuals who don’t qualify for Category 1 benefits, often encompassing low to middle-income families, who may make more money, but require more resources due to family size. Given that most general practitioner visits range anywhere from 50 to 80 euros per visit, a lack of public funding is detrimental to the health of the Irish public at large.
On a positive note, investments in the healthcare system have grown over the past several years, with spending increasing from 15.3 billion euros in 2018 to 22.8 billion euros in 2024. In the 2025 budget, the Irish government hit an all-time high for healthcare funding, dedicating 25.9 billion euros to healthcare. One of the main goals for this increase in funding was to add more than 3,300 additional staff along with 335 additional hospital beds, with acute care receiving more than 22% of the funding increase.
Minister of Health Stephen Donnelly had this to say regarding the budget increase in 2025:
“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 euro [compared to] 2024, supporting the continued expansion and delivery of quality services as we continue to ensure everyone can get the health care they need, when they need it.”
A View Towards The Future
Shifting to a fully nationalized public healthcare scheme along with a renewed investment in the healthcare system may be the solution to the burnout and staffing issues currently endured by Ireland’s healthcare workers. Additionally, Sláintecare’s focus on eliminating wait time for care has been a vital part of the reform efforts.
From September 2021 to December 2025, there has been a 58% reduction in so-called “long-waiters”, people waiting over 12 months for care. Furthermore, Sláintecare’s self-established targets of 10 to 12 weeks are also being met, with more than 82,000 patients waiting for less than these times.
Despite these positive steps forward and the relief that this type of program will provide for Irish healthcare workers, Sláintecare’s ability to affect positive change will come down to four major factors that have plagued past reforms in Ireland: resistance from stakeholders, politics, competing demands and lack of planning.
