Dr. Peadar Gilligan:

I will speak on this, if I may. I thank Senator Conway for the question. I am an emergency medicine physician and I am conscious of the fact that the situation in Limerick is very challenging. However, the situation in every emergency department in Ireland is challenging. The reason for that is the lack of capacity in the system. I have visited Limerick and the sense there is that at least 400 additional beds are needed within the acute hospital system in the Limerick area to serve the population of that area. The issue of crowding manifests within the emergency department but it is a function of a lack of ability to move patients through the system in a timely manner. Additional step-down facilities and rehabilitation facilities are also needed in the region. Speaking conservatively, I would say that an additional 400 beds and the associated staffing are required to serve the needs of the population as things stand.