Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)

If it was an emergency in 2006 with fewer people on trolleys, I challenge the Minister to say why it is not an emergency today. Why is the Government not addressing this issue? Some 365 people were on trolleys today, of which the largest number, 41, was in the constituency of my colleague, Deputy Ciarán Lynch, in Cork University Hospital. The second largest number, 33, was in the Mid-West Regional Hospital, which is in my own constituency. Coming in third, was Tallaght Hospital which is in the Acting Chairman, Deputy O'Connor's, constituency. This situation simply cannot be tolerated any longer. I have been talking to people on the telephone who are on trolleys in corridors. In the Mid-West Regional Hospital, which has a very small accident and emergency department, the trolleys are now in wards, corridors and almost out into the hospital's reception area. We are talking about sick people who need attention. They have a right to acute care, as well as respect and privacy. It is simply unacceptable that they are on trolleys awaiting medical attention in public areas. I urge the Minister to intervene. 9 o'clock

In effect, people who are far away from accident and emergency departments are saying that they are focusing on community care and step-down beds. The reality, however, is that those resources are not in the community, including step-down, rehab and long-term beds. They cannot discharge people from our acute hospitals. Almost 900 beds are closed at the moment and 1,000 more are scheduled to be closed this year because of cutbacks in the HSE. The system cannot take it because the resources, which I know the Minister of State would support, have not been put into the community. They are not there. We cannot pretend the problem does not exist and act like the three monkeys and see, hear and speak no evil. Unfortunately, the people who pontificate on these issues are far removed from the problem of the people who are lying on trolleys in our hospitals today. I urge the Government and the Minister of State, Deputy Moloney, to ensure there is a response to this situation and to ensure it is treated as the emergency it is.

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