Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I start by extending my deepest personal sympathy to the family of the 16-year-old girl who died three weeks ago in University Hospital Limerick. That desperately sad new was reported in the Irish Independenttoday by Eavan Murray, just a year after the tragic death of Aoife Johnston in the same hospital. I understand that an inquiry has been launched into the incident. That is clearly very necessary, but we are already all too aware of the serious patient safety issues that continue to prevail at UHL. A HSE internal review has already described overcrowding at UHL as endemic and stated, "There is little apparent understanding of the risks and inefficiencies caused to patient care by a crowded environment". I have already raised concerns raised by the INMO and others about overcrowding at UHL. On 7 February, UHL recorded its worst ever overcrowding when 150 patients who were ill enough to be admitted were left on trolleys or chairs. What is the Government doing to address these-----

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