(LRC Revised)

Number 26 of 1953

HEALTH ACT 1953

REVISED

Updated to 3 February 2026

Changes to legislation

as of 10 July 2026, this Act is up to date with all changes known to be in force.

This Revised Act is an administrative

consolidation of the

Health Act 1953

. It is prepared by the Law Reform Commission in accordance with its function under

the

Law

Reform Commission Act 1975

(3/1975) to keep the law under review and to undertake revision and consolidation

of statute law.

All Acts up to and including the

Credit Review Act 2026

(1/2026), enacted 3 February 2026, and all statutory instruments

up to and including the

Gambling Regulation Act 2024 (Commencement) Order 2026

(S.I. No. 31 of 2026), made 3 February 2026, were considered

in the preparation of this Revised Act.

Disclaimer: While every care has been taken

in the preparation of this Revised Act, the Law Reform Commission can assume no responsibility

for

and give no guarantees, undertakings or warranties concerning the accuracy, completeness

or up to

date nature of the information provided and does not accept any liability whatsoever

arising from

any errors or omissions. Please notify any errors, omissions and comments by email

to

revisedacts@lawreform.ie.

Number

26

of

1953.

HEALTH ACT 1953

REVISED

Updated to

3 February 2026

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

Part

I

PRELIMINARY AND GENERAL

Section

1.

Short title and collective citation.

2.

Commencement.

3.

Principal Act and construction of that Act and this Act.

4.

General saver.

5.

Repeals.

Part

II

INSTITUTIONS

6.

Extension of meaning of

“

institution

”.

(Repealed)

7.

District institutions and

dispensaries.

(Repealed)

8.

Conduct and management of

health institution.

(Repealed)

9.

Direction with respect to

institutional services.

(Repealed)

10.

Extern institutions.

(Repealed)

11.

Transfer of officers on

discontinuation of health institution.

(Repealed)

12.

Religious Services.

(Repealed)

13.

Exemption from local

inquiry.

(Repealed)

Part

III

HEALTH SERVICES

14.

General medical

services.

(Repealed)

15.

Institutional and specialist services.

16.

Medical care for

mothers.

(Repealed)

17.

Infant welfare

services.

(Repealed)

18.

Child welfare services.

(Repealed)

19.

School health examination and

treatment service.

(Repealed)

20.

Dental, ophthalmic and aural

services, for children.

(Repealed)

21.

Dental, ophthalmic and aural

services, for middle income group.

(Repealed)

22.

Regulations in relation to

services.

(Repealed)

23.

Maternity cash grants.

(Repealed)

24.

Milk for mothers and

children.

(Repealed)

25.

Institutional services at

choice of patient, etc.

(Repealed)

26.

Institutional services for

persons not entitled to services under section 15.

(Repealed)

27.

Declaration as to

means.

(Repealed)

28.

Notification of change of

circumstances.

(Repealed)

29.

Determination of doubt as to

responsible health authority.

(Repealed)

30.

Charge where person not

entitled obtains service.

(Repealed)

31.

Recovery of charges.

(Repealed)

32.

Affording of facilities for

health examination of children at schools.

(Repealed)

33.

False statements, etc.

(Repealed)

Part

IV

MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS OF PRINCIPAL ACT

34.

Amendment of section 31 of Principal Act.

35.

Amendment of section 38 of Principal Act.

36.

Amendment of section 44 of Principal Act.

37.

Amendment of section 48 of Principal Act.

38.

Regulations under Part V of Principal Act.

39.

Amendment of section 65 of Principal Act.

40.

Amendment of section 66 of Principal Act.

41.

Amendment of section 98 of Principal Act.

42.

Amendment of section 103 of

Principal Act.

(Repealed)

43.

Amendment of section 104 of Principal Act.

44.

Prosecution of certain offences.

Part

V

MISCELLANEOUS

45.

Joint action by health

authorities.

(Repealed)

46.

Balrothery and Rathdown Boards

of Assistance.

(Repealed)

47.

Arrangements between health

authorities and other authorities.

(Repealed)

48.

Consultative health

committees.

(Repealed)

49.

Agreement for provision of

service.

(Repealed)

50.

Rehabilitation and maintenance

of disabled persons.

(Repealed)

51.

Dispensary districts.

(Repealed)

52.

District medical

officers.

(Repealed)

53.

Holders of certain offices

under public assistance authorities.

(Repealed)

54.

Shelter and maintenance in county home.

55.

Boarding out, etc., of

children.

(Repealed)

56.

Removal of child boarded out,

etc.

(Repealed)

57.

Local authority for purposes

of Part I of Children Act, 1908.

(Repealed)

58.

Regulations as to filling materials.

59.

Control of use, etc., of radio-active substances and irradiating apparatus.

60.

Prohibition or control of use of certain verminicides.

61.

Control of use of fumigants.

62.

Facilities for teaching of clinical medicine or conduct of medical research.

63.

Courses of instruction for medical officers.

64.

Schools for training of nurses.

65.

Assistance for certain

bodies.

(Repealed)

66.

Dispensary residences under Public Assistance Act, 1939.

67.

Apportionment of expenditure on central health service.

68.

Inspection of provisions and water for crew of Irish ships.

69.

Restriction of application of Public Assistance Act, 1939.

70.

Amendment of Tuberculosis (Establishment of Sanatoria) Act, 1945.

71.

Amendment of Mental Treatment

Act, 1945.

(Repealed)

72.

Amendment of Health Services

(Financial Provisions) Act, 1947.

SCHEDULE

Enactments Repealed

Acts Referred to

Health Act, 1947

No. 28 of 1947

Public Assistance Act, 1939

No. 27 of 1939

Social Welfare Act, 1952

No. 11 of 1952

Illegitimate Children (Affiliation Orders) Act, 1930

No. 17 of 1930

Health Services (Financial Provisions) Act, 1947

No. 47 of 1947

Local Government Act, 1941

No. 23 of 1941

Adoption Act, 1952

No. 25 of 1952

Medical Practitioners Act, 1927

No. 25 of 1927

Local Authorities (Officers and Employees) Act, 1926

No. 39 of 1926

Mental Treatment Act, 1945

No. 19 of 1945

Merchant Shipping Act, 1947

No. 46 of 1947

Tuberculosis (Establishment of Sanatoria) Act, 1945

No. 4 of 1945

Number

26

of

1953

HEALTH ACT 1953

REVISED

Updated to 3 February 2026

AN ACT TO AMEND AND EXTEND THE

HEALTH ACT, 1947

, AND CERTAIN OTHER ENACTMENTS. [29

th October

, 1953.]

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:—

Annotations

Modifications (not altering

text)

C1

Functions transferred to

the Health Service Executive (1.01.2005) by

Health Act 2004

(42/2004), s.

59 and sch. 3, S.I. No. 887 of 2004, subject to transitional provisions in s. 74

and sch 5.

2.—(1) In this Act, unless the

context otherwise requires—

...

"Executive" means the Health

Service Executive established under section 6;

...

59

.—(1) The functions that,

immediately before the establishment day, were the functions of a specified body

under or in connection with the enactments referred to in Schedule 3 are, by this

Act, transferred to the Executive on that day.

(2) ...

(3) The functions transferred by

this Act to the Executive include the functions specified in any enactment

referred to in Schedule 3 as a function of the following

(

a

) the chief executive

officer of a health board;

(

b

) the Regional Chief

Executive of the Eastern Regional Health Authority;

(

c

) the area chief

executive of an Area Health Board.

(4) This section does not apply in

relation to the functions of the Hospital Bodies Administrative Bureau.

...

SCHEDULE 3

Transfer of Functions and References to Functional

Areas

1. Health Acts 1947 to 2001

...

Editorial Notes

E1

Power pursuant to collectively cited

Health Acts

exercised

(1.08.1954) by

Institutional Assistance Regulations 1954

(S.I. No. 103 of

1954), in operation as per reg. 3.

E2

Power pursuant to collectively cited

Health Acts

exercised

(1.08.1954) by

General Institutional and Specialist Services Regulations

1954

(S.I. No. 100 of 1954), in operation as per reg. 3.

E3

Previous affecting provision: power pursuant to collectively

cited

Health Acts

exercised (1.08.1954) by

General Medical Services

Regulations 1954

(S.I. No. 102 of 1954), in operation as per reg. 3;

revoked (1.04.1972) by

Health Services Regulations 1972

(S.I. No. 88 of

1972), reg. 4 and sch., in operation as per reg. 3.

E4

Previous affecting provision: power pursuant to collectively

cited

Health Acts

exercised (1.08.1954) by

Maternity and Child Health

Services Regulations 1954

(S.I. No. 98 of 1954), in operation as per reg.

3; revoked (1.04.1971) by

Health Services Regulations 1971

(S.I. No. 105 of

1971), reg. 4 and sch., in operation as per reg. 3.

E5

Previous affecting provision: power pursuant to collectively

cited

Health Acts

exercised (1.08.1954) by

Maternity and Child Health

Services (Amendment) Regulations 1954

(S.I. No. 158 of 1954), in operation

as per reg. 2; revoked (1.07.1964) by

Maternity and Child Health Services

(Amendment) Regulations 1964

(S.I. No. 158 of 1964), reg. 4, in operation

as per reg. 3.

Annotations

Modifications (not altering

text)

C1

Functions transferred to

the Health Service Executive (1.01.2005) by

Health Act 2004

(42/2004), s.

59 and sch. 3, S.I. No. 887 of 2004, subject to transitional provisions in s. 74

and sch 5.

2.—(1) In this Act, unless the

context otherwise requires—

...

"Executive" means the Health

Service Executive established under section 6;

...

59

.—(1) The functions that,

immediately before the establishment day, were the functions of a specified body

under or in connection with the enactments referred to in Schedule 3 are, by this

Act, transferred to the Executive on that day.

(2) ...

(3) The functions transferred by

this Act to the Executive include the functions specified in any enactment

referred to in Schedule 3 as a function of the following

(

a

) the chief executive

officer of a health board;

(

b

) the Regional Chief

Executive of the Eastern Regional Health Authority;

(

c

) the area chief

executive of an Area Health Board.

(4) This section does not apply in

relation to the functions of the Hospital Bodies Administrative Bureau.

...

SCHEDULE 3

Transfer of Functions and References to Functional

Areas

1. Health Acts 1947 to 2001

...

Editorial Notes

E1

Power pursuant to collectively cited

Health Acts

exercised

(1.08.1954) by

Institutional Assistance Regulations 1954

(S.I. No. 103 of

1954), in operation as per reg. 3.

E2

Power pursuant to collectively cited

Health Acts

exercised

(1.08.1954) by

General Institutional and Specialist Services Regulations

1954

(S.I. No. 100 of 1954), in operation as per reg. 3.

E3

Previous affecting provision: power pursuant to collectively

cited

Health Acts

exercised (1.08.1954) by

General Medical Services

Regulations 1954

(S.I. No. 102 of 1954), in operation as per reg. 3;

revoked (1.04.1972) by

Health Services Regulations 1972

(S.I. No. 88 of

1972), reg. 4 and sch., in operation as per reg. 3.

E4

Previous affecting provision: power pursuant to collectively

cited

Health Acts

exercised (1.08.1954) by

Maternity and Child Health

Services Regulations 1954

(S.I. No. 98 of 1954), in operation as per reg.

3; revoked (1.04.1971) by

Health Services Regulations 1971

(S.I. No. 105 of

1971), reg. 4 and sch., in operation as per reg. 3.

E5

Previous affecting provision: power pursuant to collectively

cited

Health Acts

exercised (1.08.1954) by

Maternity and Child Health

Services (Amendment) Regulations 1954

(S.I. No. 158 of 1954), in operation

as per reg. 2; revoked (1.07.1964) by

Maternity and Child Health Services

(Amendment) Regulations 1964

(S.I. No. 158 of 1964), reg. 4, in operation

as per reg. 3.

Part

I

PRELIMINARY AND GENERAL

Section

1.

Short title and collective citation.

2.

Commencement.

3.

Principal Act and construction of that Act and this Act.

4.

General saver.

5.

Repeals.

Part

II

INSTITUTIONS

6.

Extension of meaning of

“

institution

”.

(Repealed)

7.

District institutions and

dispensaries.

(Repealed)

8.

Conduct and management of

health institution.

(Repealed)

9.

Direction with respect to

institutional services.

(Repealed)

10.

Extern institutions.

(Repealed)

11.

Transfer of officers on

discontinuation of health institution.

(Repealed)

12.

Religious Services.

(Repealed)

13.

Exemption from local

inquiry.

(Repealed)

Part

III

HEALTH SERVICES

14.

General medical

services.

(Repealed)

15.

Institutional and specialist services.

16.

Medical care for

mothers.

(Repealed)

17.

Infant welfare

services.

(Repealed)

18.

Child welfare services.

(Repealed)

19.

School health examination and

treatment service.

(Repealed)

20.

Dental, ophthalmic and aural

services, for children.

(Repealed)

21.

Dental, ophthalmic and aural

services, for middle income group.

(Repealed)

22.

Regulations in relation to

services.

(Repealed)

23.

Maternity cash grants.

(Repealed)

24.

Milk for mothers and

children.

(Repealed)

25.

Institutional services at

choice of patient, etc.

(Repealed)

26.

Institutional services for

persons not entitled to services under section 15.

(Repealed)

27.

Declaration as to

means.

(Repealed)

28.

Notification of change of

circumstances.

(Repealed)

29.

Determination of doubt as to

responsible health authority.

(Repealed)

30.

Charge where person not

entitled obtains service.

(Repealed)

31.

Recovery of charges.

(Repealed)

32.

Affording of facilities for

health examination of children at schools.

(Repealed)

33.

False statements, etc.

(Repealed)

Part

IV

MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS OF PRINCIPAL ACT

34.

Amendment of section 31 of Principal Act.

35.

Amendment of section 38 of Principal Act.

36.

Amendment of section 44 of Principal Act.

37.

Amendment of section 48 of Principal Act.

38.

Regulations under Part V of Principal Act.

39.

Amendment of section 65 of Principal Act.

40.

Amendment of section 66 of Principal Act.

41.

Amendment of section 98 of Principal Act.

42.

Amendment of section 103 of

Principal Act.

(Repealed)

43.

Amendment of section 104 of Principal Act.

44.

Prosecution of certain offences.

Part

V

MISCELLANEOUS

45.

Joint action by health

authorities.

(Repealed)

46.

Balrothery and Rathdown Boards

of Assistance.

(Repealed)

47.

Arrangements between health

authorities and other authorities.

(Repealed)

48.

Consultative health

committees.

(Repealed)

49.

Agreement for provision of

service.

(Repealed)

50.

Rehabilitation and maintenance

of disabled persons.

(Repealed)

51.

Dispensary districts.

(Repealed)

52.

District medical

officers.

(Repealed)

53.

Holders of certain offices

under public assistance authorities.

(Repealed)

54.

Shelter and maintenance in county home.

55.

Boarding out, etc., of

children.

(Repealed)

56.

Removal of child boarded out,

etc.

(Repealed)

57.

Local authority for purposes

of Part I of Children Act, 1908.

(Repealed)

58.

Regulations as to filling materials.

59.

Control of use, etc., of radio-active substances and irradiating apparatus.

60.

Prohibition or control of use of certain verminicides.

61.

Control of use of fumigants.

62.

Facilities for teaching of clinical medicine or conduct of medical research.

63.

Courses of instruction for medical officers.

64.

Schools for training of nurses.

65.

Assistance for certain

bodies.

(Repealed)

66.

Dispensary residences under Public Assistance Act, 1939.

67.

Apportionment of expenditure on central health service.

68.

Inspection of provisions and water for crew of Irish ships.

69.

Restriction of application of Public Assistance Act, 1939.

70.

Amendment of Tuberculosis (Establishment of Sanatoria) Act, 1945.

71.

Amendment of Mental Treatment

Act, 1945.

(Repealed)

72.

Amendment of Health Services

(Financial Provisions) Act, 1947.

SCHEDULE

Enactments Repealed

Number

26

of

1953.