Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

We in Ireland, along with much of Europe, imported the idea of lockdowns from China. However, in China hospitals were built in 14 days in response to Covid-19. The HSE's capacity census last year showed that ICU capacity in Ireland increased from 255 beds to 280 beds in the nine months from April to December. At the end of last year, the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, announced that capacity was to be increased to 446 beds, including an increase to 321 beds by the end of this year. However, capacity has only been increased by nine beds to date this year.

I would like the Taoiseach to explain what we are doing to increase hospital capacity. The Tánaiste announced earlier this week that our hospitals are under pressure. I do not remember a time when they were not. ICUs operate, generally, to capacity and one would rarely have a time like now when 40 ICU beds are free. Yet we are being frightened again that our ICUs will come under pressure and we will have to endure more restrictions and, potentially, lockdowns. What are we doing to increase capacity? I appreciate the Taoiseach cannot develop ICU beds overnight and it takes time. However, we are not talking about 14 days, like China. We are more than 14 months into this and progress is slow.

On Monday last, there were 278 people on trolleys in hospitals in Ireland, 63 of them in Limerick. This Monday, there were 293 people on trolleys, 60 of them in Limerick. We know that sort of overcrowding is a recipe for disaster in the event there is another wave of Covid. If we look to other countries, like Israel, where the success of the vaccine roll-out was lauded, there has been another wave. There will be more and more waves but all I hear is that we are putting all our eggs in the vaccination basket and doing, apparently, very little to develop our healthcare capacity. I am not saying we should not do both but what is the Government doing to increase healthcare capacity? We have grandiose promises from the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, and there are three former Ministers for Health in the Cabinet, including the Taoiseach, who have delivered plenty of grandiose promises but no additional capacity.

I would like an update on capacity and what will be done about it, as opposed to what will be promised.

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