Dáil debates

Wednesday, 20 October 2021

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate

Emergency Departments

9:42 am

Photo of John LahartJohn Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for her presence today. We all know, both as human beings and constituency politicians, that a trip made by anybody to hospital is generally a journey taken with some little anxiety and trepidation, if not more. It is not something we like to have to schedule into our diary. Covid-19 has clearly exacerbated this experience for people because it tends to make the hospital environment even more fraught. That is notwithstanding the incredible efforts of nurses and doctors in accident and emergency departments and all the other front-line healthcare workers who have kept the hospital system going throughout this period. I know the public greatly appreciates that. Long waiting times can discommode staff and cause them as much anxiety as they cause for the people waiting in the rooms.

Tallaght University Hospital in my constituency serves a huge catchment area, as the Minister of State is aware, from north Wicklow to north Kildare and then into my constituency to Rathfarnham, Knocklyon, Templeogue and Citywest, taking in Tallaght, Firhouse and Ballycullen. It is a massive area. Recently I have heard from a number of constituents who specifically mentioned the accident and emergency department in Tallaght.

I do not want to criticise the hospital but could we get an explanation for what has been happening in the past month or two? We are not technically into winter yet but we are coming towards the end of autumn.

Are these circumstances being reported to the Minister? What steps are being taken? What is the understanding of the Minister, the HSE and Tallaght University Hospital as to why waiting times have increased in the emergency department? What steps can and will be taken to mitigate those long waiting times and to ensure, particularly in the context of the Covid pandemic, that patients enduring those waiting times are made as comfortable as possible?

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