Conor Sheehan (Limerick City, Labour)

Today, there are 105 people on trolleys at UHL. On Monday, there were 147. The people of the mid-west have been let down by successive Governments. Yesterday, the HIQA review into emergency care capacity was published. It has taken 16 months for a review that states the complete obvious. The question for the Government is what it is going to do about it. I believe the outcome of this review was predetermined and that is why its publication was delayed. As public representatives, we were essentially told by the HSE earlier this year that it did not favour the establishment of a model 3 hospital in the region. Can the Minister confirm what I believe to be true, namely, that a site has been identified in close proximity under a shared governance model, as in option B, and that will go ahead? When is the Minister for Health going to outline exactly when the Government will make a decision on this and move towards giving the people of the mid-west the health service we deserve? We need a pathway towards a model 3 hospital in the region, not more delay.

See this speech in context