The Mater Hospital Foundation has announced a transformational €2 million gift from businessman and philanthropist Eric Kinsella and his wife Barbara, set to significantly enhance cardiac care at the Mater Public Hospital.
Eric Kinsella, founder of Esprit Investments — one of Ireland’s leading private investment and development companies — and his wife Barbara, have pledged this life-changing donation to support the expansion and redevelopment of the Mater’s Coronary Care Unit (CCU).
This generous gift will help to increase capacity, deliver expert cardiac care, and create spacious, modern facilities for patients and their families.
The Mater’s existing 12-bed CCU will be expanded to include the new Kinsella Cardiology Recovery Suite.
This state-of-the-art facility will feature a five-bed recovery unit, a specially designed Family Room to ensure comfort for loved ones, and a dedicated link corridor connecting the CATH Labs directly to the recovery suite — a historic first for the Mater Hospital.
This development promises not only to boost capacity but also to dramatically improve emergency cardiac care, infection control, and patient comfort.
Isolation rooms, private family spaces, and enhanced recovery services will bring the Mater’s cardiac care facilities to a whole new level, providing world-class treatment in a modern, patient-focused environment.
Speaking about the donation, Eric Kinsella said:
“Barbara and I feel privileged to give back to the Mater Hospital, a place that holds deep personal significance for us.
“Having experienced first-hand the exceptional care provided by Prof. Jim O’Neill and his team, we hope this gift will improve patient outcomes and support the dedicated medical teams who work tirelessly to save lives every day.”
Mary Moorhead, Chief Executive of the Mater Hospital Foundation, praised the Kinsellas’ extraordinary generosity:
“Philanthropy has the power to drive real change in healthcare, and we are deeply grateful to Eric and Barbara Kinsella for their extraordinary generosity.
“Their transformational gift marks the largest single contribution the Foundation has ever received in its history.
“It will significantly enhance patient care and recovery, support our dedicated cardiac teams, and leave a lasting legacy of hope and healing for generations to come.”
This ambitious project, made possible through HSE funding and the Kinsellas’ philanthropic support, represents a major step forward in securing continued access to outstanding cardiology services at the Mater Public Hospital.
The new Coronary Care Unit is expected to open toward the end of 2026, ushering in a new era of world-class cardiac care for patients across Ireland.