Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

By the end of January 98 beds will be ready for opening in University Hospital Limerick, 20 of which will be open this week. The emergency department had 52 patients on trolleys yesterday, with an additional ten trolleys in wards. The overcrowding in the accident and emergency department has been an issue for years and the department has been the worst in the country. It is currently finding it impossible to operate social distancing. The HIQA regulator has stated he will be unable to comply with restrictions due to the current overcrowding in the department. This is no reflection on the staff or nursing care in our hospitals. This type of investment means that in January 98 beds will have been opened and there will be 150 extra staff in hospital. I want that accountability from management. When I was elected I said this on my first day in the House. I am repeating now that I want accountability from management.

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