Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise the ongoing crisis at University Hospital Limerick. This morning, 32 patients are languishing on trolleys. Over a five-day period last week, we had 149 patients languishing on trolleys. When one walks into the accident and emergency department, one will more than likely meet a sign stating there will be an eight-hour wait before seeing a doctor. Last week, one man in the accident and emergency department was asked to stand where his wife's trolley was while his wife was wheeled away for tests to keep the corridor clear for the trolley on its return. This is how ludicrous and awful the situation is.

On the Friday night of the week before last, I drove my neighbour to the hospital. She got into a ward the following Wednesday night. It took five days of languishing in a corridor before someone who was extremely sick managed to get access to a ward. Members of SIPTU and the INMO have had enough and, quite rightly, they are now balloting their members for industrial action, not because they want more money but because they are absolutely disgusted by the lack of action. The most ludicrous point of all this is when the unions speak to management, the local hospital management agree with them that they need more staff but there is a moratorium. We have a ludicrous situation where everyone agrees the place is in crisis but nothing is being done.

We know the roots of this crisis lie with Fianna Fáil, which closed accident and emergency departments in Nenagh and Ennis without making adequate provision for enough resources in Dooradoyle in Limerick. We had five years of a Fine Gael and Labour Party Government, at the end of which things were worse than they ever were before. It is a litany of failure on behalf of all of the major political parties. It needs action and I ask the Minister for Health to come to the House as a matter of urgency to debate this. I know from my neighbours and friends that people in Limerick have had enough. People are frightened to have their relatives go into hospital. Imagine that. Imagine being in fear of seeing one's loved ones going into hospital. This is the reality in Limerick. It is at absolute crisis level and I ask the Leader to ask the Minister for Health to come to the House urgently.