Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I begin by mentioning the late Senator Feargal Quinn. While I did not serve with him in the Seanad, I knew Senator Quinn and he was an absolute gentleman, a great businessman and a man who always respected his employees.

I support Senator Ó Ríordáin's practical and sensible proposal on changing the times for this evening's business.

I will genuinely try not to be party political in mentioning the case of a 92 year old woman who spent four days on a trolley in University Hospital Limerick, UHL, on the weekend before last. I was contacted on the Monday, the fourth day, by a member of the woman's family and asked if I could intervene. I tried to intervene by ringing the hospital and asking to speak to someone in management. After being put on hold for five minutes, I was told I would have to speak to the communications office. Ironically, when I asked to be put through to that office, I found it could not be contacted. I then tried its direct line and after an hour, I managed to leave a message. The hospital contacted me two hours later to say that was not the way to proceed and I should send an email instead. That was the message I got back three hours after I first tried to raise the issue of this poor 92 year old woman who had been on a trolley in the hospital for four days. As I have said a number of times, there is something fundamentally wrong with the management of UHL. Everybody knows this. I have tried to say that in a way that is not adversarial but the people of Limerick deserve so much better treatment. The idea that anyone, but above all a seriously ill 92 year old woman, would be left on a trolley for four days surely offends all of us. Matters continue to get worse at UHL and we need a political intervention from the Minister. I am calling for such an intervention and a debate on the matter.