Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I agree. The reconfiguration was not done right at all and the measures that the Government is putting in place should have been put in place before the reconfiguration happened. That is my view. What I can stand over is what the Government is doing. The Government has added a level of capacity into Limerick that has never been done before and there is no hospital in the country that has had more money or staff. The increase in staffing in UHL in the lifetime of this Government is nearly 1,200. It is vast. The beds are being added in Limerick more than in any other hospital with the two 96-bed blocks being built.

It is essential that we do not lose sight of the reform piece of this because the beds will only make a difference if they are being used properly. There are better reforms happening. There was an unannounced HIQA ED inspection. I believe that they will note that things are getting better but they hospital still has a ways to go. Weekend discharge is still too low. Limerick has the lowest uptake of any of the large hospitals of the new consultant contract.

Some important reforms have been happening. The new regional executive officer has been pushing on them and she has my full support. There are further reforms that we need to help the local clinical communities engage in.

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