Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I would entirely agree with the sentiment expressed about the distress that is caused to those who must wait for a long period of time either on a trolley or on a chair. It is uncomfortable, it is distressing and it does not lend dignity, let alone service. However, quoting statistics will never have the same impact as personalised stories, and we saw that this week and last week with consultants and, indeed, the relatives of elderly patients who were waiting for admission in emergency departments. Was there an elderly man on a trolley in an Irish hospital for more than 24 hours last week? Yes. Should it have happened? No. We all are agreed on that. Was there an elderly person on a trolley the week before for more than 24 hours? I think the answer would be "Yes". Should it have happened? No.

Every month, the HSE publishes the number of patients who have been waiting for admission to hospital. It publishes the number discharged within six hours, the number waiting longer than six hours, the number waiting longer than nine hours and the number waiting longer than 24 hours.

This year, we asked the HSE to start publishing the data on patients attending emergency departments who are over 75 years of age. Between January and September, there were 88,772 visits to emergency departments by patients over the age of 75. This accounts for 12% of the total number of visits by patients to emergency departments. A total of 46.2% of those over the age of 77 are admitted or discharged within six hours of registration. The point is that these figures exist. They are there for anyone to look up on the website.

Really, the point I make is that the previous Government - I do not do the "previous Government" bit often-----

See this speech in context