Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I know Cork University Hospital well and I know many people working there. I accept that today there is huge stress on the system in the hospital and the management is responding to that as best it can. There are two issues. The first is today's pressure, which is difficult for the staff on site.

They are working together to deal with that. The medium-term issue here is about capacity, which is why the Government is increasing capacity and has been doing so month on month. It will continue to do that. If we look at the increasing number of beds being funded and provided, we will see it moving in only one direction. The truth is we need more beds in our system. We have the budgets and plan to increase the number of beds, not just in Cork but in other parts of the country. The Deputy mentioned Limerick. There is a commitment to increase bed capacity in Limerick through a 60-bed modular unit that is funded and committed to this year. There is a recognition that more investment and more capacity are needed and they are provided. In the short term, particularly through winter months, we need to ensure that management systems are in place that, in general terms, deliver reductions in the number of people on trolleys. There is an acute problem in Cork that was seen last night and again today which is getting the emergency response that is needed.

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