Kieran O'Donnell (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Like my colleagues, I wish everyone well in the new year. I also join everyone else in congratulating the Leader, Senator Buttimer, on his recent marriage and in wishing him well.

I want to raise a specific issue. There have been quite a number of debates on health. I wish to refer to the city where I reside, Limerick. People speak about issues relating to management and systems. The biggest single issue in Limerick and the mid-west is bed capacity. A report by Teamwork Management Services was completed prior to a reconfiguration which took place in 2009 and which involved the closure of accident and emergency departments at Ennis, Nenagh and St. John's Hospital in Limerick. This pushed demand into the existing accident and emergency department at University Hospital Limerick. Apart from addressing the closure of the three accident and emergency departments, the report outlined the need for 138 new co-location beds to be put in place at University Hospital Limerick. That never happened. I have worked with the management of University Hospital Limerick. A welcome proposal has been to put in place 96 acute beds at the hospital has been put forward. It suggests that these beds be located directly alongside the new emergency department, which works well but which has major capacity issues.In working with management, I secured funding to enable the design for the project to get under way a number of months ago. I would like that 96-acute-bed unit to be included in the capital plan that is currently being reviewed. I have written to the Minister for Health and the HSE about this. Ultimately, without University Hospital Limerick having these extra beds, it will be impossible for it to deal with the overcrowding in its accident and emergency department and meet the needs of our increasing older population. The fundamental problem in University Hospital Limerick is bed capacity. I ask the Leader to ask the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, and the HSE corporate team from Mr. Tony O'Brien down to ensure that this 96-acute-bed unit is included in the revised capital plan.