Ireland approves procurement for National Electronic Health Record, commits €263 million to digital health in 2026

Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill received Government approval on 5 February 2026 for the HSE to begin vendor shortlisting for a National Electronic Health Record — the largest digital transformation in Irish health service history. The €263 million digital health budget for 2026, up from €190 million in 2025, covers the National EHR, the Children's Health Ireland EHR, a Maternity and Newborn Health Record, and the Community Connect programme.

Ireland had the lowest rate of citizen access to electronic health records among EU Member States at 25%, against an EU average of 83%. The Health Information Bill 2024, currently progressing through the Oireachtas, provides the legal basis for digital health records and explicitly references EHDS compliance — positioning Ireland to move from laggard to active participant in the EU health data infrastructure.