Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I want to revert to an issue I have raised with the Tánaiste on a number of occasions, namely overcrowding in the accident and emergency department of University Hospital Limerick, UHL.

This morning, there are 90 people on trolleys in UHL. That is a good day now. It would have been unthinkable a number of years ago but there are 90 people on trolleys this morning. Almost one quarter of all those on trolleys in the country are in UHL. The Tánaiste is or claims to be a republican. Almost everybody in this House claims to be a republican. One of the key aspects of republicanism is equality. There is a disparity in healthcare across this country. People's experience of UHL is generally quite good other than the accident and emergency department, where the experience is almost universally negative. That is unfortunate because it the only encounter many people have with the hospital.

Why does that disparity continue to exist? I see the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, in the Chamber. When I raised the matter with him he told me there had been 2,000 new posts since this Government came into office. When I asked UHL for a breakdown of those posts, I found out the actual figure is only two thirds of that figure. I welcome the fact that there are over 1,300 new posts. It is not quite as good as what the Minister is claiming but it is a big improvement. Nevertheless, the disparity continues. UHL management indicated it has 13% fewer staff than other comparable model 4 hospitals and the population it has to deal with is 13% higher and it has fewer staff. It also pointed out that the number of people over the age of 70 in its catchment area is 20% higher, which places additional requirements on the hospital. What will be done in this Republic under this republican Government to bring about an equality of healthcare across this State?

The people I represent are not second-class citizens. They are not first-class citizens either. There are no first and second classes in this State. There is a disparity, however. I have been to accident and emergency departments with family members in Dublin and also in Limerick. There is a massive disparity in treatment. It is huge. I do not think some members of my family are first-class citizens and some are second-class citizens. This is unacceptable and it is very much concentrated in the mid-west. I want to know what the Government and the Minister of Health, who the Tánaiste appointed when he was Taoiseach, and who is still the Minister for Health, will do. I argued at the time that the Minister of Health should bring this matter to the Taoiseach's office to have it sorted out but he did not do so. It may be beyond any Minister for Health to sort it out but it needs to be sorted out because the accident and emergency department in Limerick is unfit for purpose.

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