
Ireland has a total of 19 private hospitals, which make up part of its world-class healthcare system. Despite 40% of the Irish population being eligible for subsidized healthcare services, many opt for private healthcare to avoid the long wait times associated with the public system. Private hospitals offer patients more choice in selecting specific doctors and additional amenities such as fewer patients per room.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of private hospitals in Ireland | 19 |
| Number of public hospitals in Ireland | 47 |
| Number of voluntary hospitals in Ireland | 22 |
| Total number of hospitals in Ireland | 86 |
| Number of Irish citizens who opt for private healthcare | 40% |
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What You'll Learn

There are 19 private hospitals in Ireland
The other hospitals in Ireland are either Health Services Executive (HSE) funded, voluntary, or state-funded. Despite being eligible for subsidised healthcare services, 40% of the Irish population chooses private healthcare over the public system. This may be due to long wait times and limited choice in the public system.
Private hospitals in Ireland include the Mater Private Hospital in Dublin, the Beacon Hospital in Dublin, and the Bon Secours Private Hospital in both Dublin and Galway.
The healthcare sector in Ireland employs around 120,000 staff, with public health services accounting for approximately two-thirds of employees in the sector.
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40% of Irish citizens opt for private healthcare
Ireland has a universal public healthcare system that is accessible to all residents, including expats, and is of extremely high quality. However, it is criticised for long wait times, even in emergency situations, understaffing, and overcrowding in hospitals. This has led to a high reliance on private insurance, with 40% of Irish citizens opting for private healthcare. This is the highest percentage in Europe.
Public healthcare in Ireland is free for about 30-37% of the population. For the remaining population, the government subsidises costs to keep healthcare affordable. However, there are still fees for each visit to a doctor or hospital, and certain services, such as contraception methods, are not free.
Those with private health insurance can receive care faster, particularly for elective treatments. Private healthcare is also attractive because many policies will pay towards costs at private facilities, or even at Ireland's several 'high-tech' hospitals. However, private insurance is costly, with the average cost of private health insurance for one person being €1,925.
While the public healthcare system in Ireland is of high quality and affordable, long wait times and overcrowding in hospitals are significant issues. This has driven many citizens and expats to opt for private insurance plans. Students from outside the EU, for example, are required to take out private insurance in advance of obtaining their student visa.
Overall, the decision to opt for private healthcare in Ireland is influenced by the desire for faster access to healthcare services, the availability of advanced medical facilities, and the potential for cost subsidisation.
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Private hospitals offer more choice and fewer patients per room
There are 19 private hospitals in Ireland. Private hospitals often come with a set of benefits and drawbacks. One of the benefits is that private hospitals offer more choice to patients. For instance, in non-emergency situations, such as childbirth or routine medical procedures, patients can choose to go to either a public or private hospital. Private hospitals also tend to offer more personalized care. Nurses and hospitalists in private hospitals tend to oversee fewer patients per person, making the service feel more personalized. This is especially true for older patients who are in the 60-79 age range and can afford to pay for more personalized care.
However, private hospitals typically charge more for the same procedures and medical services. They also tend to provide less care for uninsured emergency-room patients than public hospitals. This is because public hospitals are partly or fully funded by a public municipality, making them more flexible in terms of the insurance they accept. As a result, low-income patients may be worse off when public hospitals go private. A study by Stanford University found that newly privatized hospitals admitted 15% fewer Medicaid patients on average in the years immediately following privatization.
Despite the higher costs associated with private hospitals, some patients prefer the extra services and comfort they provide. Private hospitals often offer more comfortable accommodations and amenities than large public hospitals. Patients who choose private hospitals typically value the more personalized care and are willing to pay more for it. In general, private hospitals cater to older patients who can afford to pay for the additional services and prefer a more personalized healthcare experience.
Overall, private hospitals in Ireland offer patients more choice and personalized care, but at a higher cost. The decision to choose a private hospital depends on individual preferences, financial considerations, and the specific healthcare needs of each patient.
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Examples of private hospitals in Ireland include Mater Private Hospital and Bon Secours
Ireland has a total of 19 private hospitals. Two well-known private hospitals in Ireland are Mater Private Hospital and Bon Secours. Mater Private Hospital is a private hospital business with its main hospital located in Dublin, just east of the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital. The hospital was built on the site of No 7 Eccles Street, which was the home of Leopold Bloom, the main character in James Joyce's Ulysses. In addition to the main hospital in Dublin, Mater Private Hospital also has a hospital in Cork, cancer treatment centres in Limerick and Liverpool, and several out-patient clinics. The hospital is known for its groundbreaking cancer treatment technology and its collaboration with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI).
Bon Secours is Ireland's largest private hospital group and network. It was formed in 1993 to coordinate the healthcare facilities in Ireland managed by the Roman Catholic Sisters of Bon Secours. The Sisters of Bon Secours were founded in Paris in 1824 as one of the first congregations of nursing sisters, with the aim of nursing the sick in their homes. The group's name, "bon secours", means "good help" in French. In 1861, four Sisters of Bon Secours arrived in Dublin and established the congregation's first mission outside France. Bon Secours Hospital Cork, established in 1915, is the largest private hospital in Ireland with 300 beds. Bon Secours Hospital, Tralee, is an acute-care facility with 130 beds, while Bon Secours Hospital, Dublin, is an independent acute-care hospital located in Glasnevin in North Dublin, established in 1951. Bon Secours Hospital, Galway, was built in 1954 and was previously known as Calvary Hospital.
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There are 86 hospitals in Ireland in total
Ireland has 86 hospitals in total. This number includes 19 private hospitals, 22 voluntary hospitals, and 47 public hospitals. The country's healthcare system is broadly divided into public and private categories. While public health services are delivered through a network of 47 public hospitals, 22 voluntary hospitals, and the remaining 19 are private hospitals.
The public healthcare system in Ireland is heavily burdened and often has long wait times. About 40% of the Irish population chooses private healthcare despite being eligible for subsidized public healthcare services. Those who opt for private hospitals can expect more choice in selecting specific doctors and additional amenities such as fewer patients per room.
Some of the well-known private hospitals in Ireland are Mater Private Hospital in Dublin, Bon Secours Private Hospital in Glasnevin, Dublin, and Bon Secours Private Hospital in Galway. There are also voluntary hospitals in Ireland, which make up nearly one-third of the hospitals in the country and account for just under 30% of all inpatient care.
The decline in the number of hospitals in Ireland, from 184 in 2000 to 86 currently, has raised concerns about access to emergency services in rural areas.
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Frequently asked questions
There are 19 private hospitals in Ireland.
There are three types of hospitals in Ireland: Health Services Executive (HSE) funded, voluntary or state-funded, and privately funded. These can be broadly categorized into public and private hospitals.
There are currently 86 hospitals in Ireland, down from 184 in 2000.
Despite being eligible for subsidized healthcare services, 40% of the Irish population chooses private healthcare due to long wait times and limited access to doctors in the public system. Private hospitals offer more choice in selecting specific doctors and additional amenities such as fewer patients per room.










































