Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)

I want to go back to Ms Fitzgerald's opening statement. Before she outlined the three options, she stated: "Our advice highlighted an immediate need for action and investment to address current risks to patient safety in the shortest timeframe and the safest way possible." She then outlined the three options: A, B, C. Option A includes plans to deliver capacity on the existing site on UHL. There are plans for an additional 96-bed unit. One also opened recently. There are plans for 16 or 18 extra beds as well. From her answers to previous questions, there is an estimated gap of between 90 and 100 beds in the area. Even though the 96-bed unit is not scheduled to be finished by the end of 2029, it is not going to deliver what we need or address the issues in the immediate term.

I want to put two points on the record. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine in the UK said people waiting more than eight hours in an emergency department adds one additional death per 67 people waiting. In January 2023, the vice president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, Dr. Ian Higginson, told the BBC that for every 82 patients who wait more than six hours, there is one associated death. Do the witnesses believe we have similar numbers in Ireland?