Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. I welcome the fact the SDU’s indicator is calling for additional bed capacity at UHL in the accident and emergency department. A number of interim measures are required. First, the Minister should examine the existing hospitals in the network, including Nenagh, Ennis and St. John's, to see what additional capacity exists. I understand a 20-bed unit in St. John's Hospital that was temporarily closed in recent months has been re-opened in the past 24 hours, which will alleviate pressure. I would like the Minister to confirm that this is the case and that it will remain open to relieve pressure on the accident and emergency department. A medical assessment unit in UHL could be converted temporarily into an overflow unit to relieve pressure on the accident and emergency department. The requirement is for beds.

The Minister referred to the overrun, however this is a legacy issue from when reconfiguration took place. Some 35 accident and emergency beds were in operation between Ennis, Nenagh, St. John's and UHL. This was more than halved to 17 beds. The new accident and emergency department being built will provide the 35 beds required. This is a short-term, interim measure until the new accident and emergency department is operational. The people of Limerick and the mid-west region are entitled to nothing less. Can the Minister confirm that the 20 beds in St. John's Hospital have been re-opened to take the pressure off? Will he continue to examine other initiatives regarding extra beds at UHL?

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