As the 2024 General Election approaches, health services remain a pressing issue for candidates and voters alike. Key topics include ongoing hospital overcrowding, with over 10,500 patients waiting for admission, and soaring waiting lists for outpatient care, affecting over 844,000 individuals. Staffing levels in the Health Service Executive (HSE) are under scrutiny, with unions advocating for increased recruitment amid rising patient demands. Additionally, the prolonged issues surrounding the new National Children’s Hospital, now expected to cost over €2.5 billion, continue to fuel political debate. These factors combine to create a charged election atmosphere focused on healthcare reform.