Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

The recommendation was that the other three EDs should not close until we had reached a level beyond 600 beds in UHL. That has been the problem, notwithstanding recent improvements as regards the number of beds. That is a fundamental point. Those three emergency departments should not have been closed. It is quite clear that was the original intention. I have been raising the issue for more than two years now about the need for a second ED for a level 3 hospital in the mid-west. The Minister said he asked HIQA to examine this in recent times. Why is he only saying that now, given that two and a half years ago HIQA was very clear about the nature of the problem in a report on the unannounced inspection of the emergency department in UHL? It stated two and a half years ago that the absence of a model 3 hospital in the region significantly impacted the effective workings of Limerick's ED. Why is it that the Minister has not taken action on that view from HIQA? He would have received that report two and a half years ago.