Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

On page 47 of the programme for Government, it acknowledges that even before the impact of Covid-19 on our health service, significant additional capacity was required across all aspects of care. It detailed the Government’s plans to address these capacity issues.

Yesterday in my local hospital, University Hospital Limerick, UHL, 95 people were on trolleys, which is an absolute scandal. This is the highest number ever in any hospital since these figures were collated. Some 70 people are on trolleys today. This is almost 900 people already in November lingering on trolleys. UHL is the hospital in the constituency with the highest number of people being treated on trolleys. The patients and staff deserve way better than they are getting. The hospital is awaiting the construction of a new 96 bed unit and this needs to be expedited but we are being advised that it will take at least 20 months to complete.

I ask the Taoiseach please not to tell me that money is available when the management and staff of UHL tell me themselves that it is not. Will the Taoiseach commit to cutting through the red tape to get this project approved under the capital approval process?

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