Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the announcement yesterday from the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, and Mr. Bernard Gloster, CEO of the HSE, that a new team is being put in to look at the running of University Hospital Limerick. This is something I have been consistently raising here. I have been looking for fresh eyes to be brought to bear on the problem. Ms Grace Rothwell, the national director of acute hospitals, Ms Orla Kavanagh, director of nursing and integration at Waterford University Hospital and Dr. Fergal Hickey, who is a retired consultant, have been brought in to look at issues in the hospital over the next four weeks to see what areas can be supported and how the hospital can be run better. They will support Ms Sonya Cotter, who was brought in as acting CEO in February of this year. The new team is there to support the existing team. That is really important because there have been a number of problems at the hospital. In April, 1,971 people were on trolleys in the hospital. That is a really high number. They need to look at how the hospital is run and how it can be run better. The people of Limerick and the mid west deserve a safe place to go for their medical care but, in addition, the staff need to work in a safe environment.

I note that Barrington's hospital has been put up for sale in the past couple of days. I call on the HSE to consider buying the building, which is already laid out as a hospital. It would not take a lot to fit it out and maybe it could be used as a medical assessment unit or surgical hub.