Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy can be in no doubt the Government considers dealing with the issues at UHL a top priority. The Minister will go to Limerick on Friday and visit Croom hospital and UHL, specifically because the priority is being directed very much towards the latter. Improvements have taken place. The medical assessment units are now open seven days a week and an additional six beds will go in. Furthermore, a report commissioned by the hospital group itself yesterday referred to 300 beds, and the more beds there are, the better. The HIQA report states there is a shortage of 200 beds. There is the 96-bed block and HIQA is saying it is split 52:48, although I think that is a moot point.

HIQA stated in the report that it would like to see something done immediately with some of the existing wards to improve their quality, and that is something I am going to pursue with UHL along with the Minister. Moreover, the 96-bed block on the grounds of UHL is under construction, while the second 96-bed block will be located directly beside it. UHL will carry out some works on that as part of the current 96-bed blocks and then will put forward design and planning to the Minister to proceed with the second 96-bed block. Between them alone, that is 192 beds, with the second 96-bed block expected to have been finished by 2027.

When I read the report, I see a lot of things need to be done, including the additional recruitment of staff. There are now ED consultants there between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. midweek, and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the weekend. I would like to see whether we could increase those hours under the new contracts. Fundamentally, the Government is utterly committed, as am I as a Limerick City Deputy, to ensuring we get sufficient capacity into UHL.

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