Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Nash for sharing his time. I know that the facts surrounding University Hospital Limerick and the issues there have already been highlighted to the Minister. An 84 year old gentleman and his family contacted me yesterday. He spent 70 hours on a trolley, and he had heart failure and other complications before he was actually put into a bed. There are issues of which the Minister is very aware. He has visited the hospital. I cannot highlight enough to him, as my colleague has done, the issue of the 89 beds. This must happen, and it must be complemented by the 90 replacement beds in St. John's Hospital. St. John's Hospital carries out small operations on a daily basis and only has ten beds. If its capacity for carrying out small procedures could be increased, it would help to ease pressure and to free up other beds. However, they need replacement beds. The two measures have to happen together. It is very important for the region. I welcome the fact that extra beds have been opened, but I note that Limerick had the smallest number of extra beds with only 17. I cannot highlight enough Limerick's needs to the Minister enough.