Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have to raise the issue of University Hospital Limerick once again. What I will share with you this morning is truly shocking. The Acting Leader may be aware that the Minister for Health is on a visit to University Hospital Limerick today. I had people reach out to me from the hospital yesterday to tell me what was happening ahead of his visit. Trolleys have been moved out to other wards in the hospital, as well as to step-down hospitals. One person told me that there were more private ambulances there yesterday than they had seen in a long time. They were to get patients out, ahead of the visit. Unfortunately for hospital management, and in fairness to the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, he called in unexpectedly yesterday evening. The response to that was to hide patients in the outpatients department. I got this information from a source who I trust 100%.

I would like to ask a question as someone who has been raising this issue for six years. When will the Government address the crisis in University Hospital Limerick? Its figures are shocking beyond any other hospital in the State. For years I have been pointing out the fundamental failures of management, not to mention a culture of bullying. To show the Acting Leader how much worse things have gotten, to date in February, 964 people have been on trolleys. That compares to last year’s figure of 494. This is twice as bad. Each of those persons has a story, each of those persons has gone through an ordeal and each of those persons have been failed by this Government, which has failed to tackle the crisis in University Hospital Limerick. The people of Limerick are absolutely sick of it.

I have to ask another question. What kind of culture tells management to hide patients when a Minister is visiting? Are we really going to accept that? Is anyone in this Chamber going to accept that? This has gone on for far too long already. There are massive issues with University Hospital Limerick, such as issues of investment. The management conceded to me that even when the new ward comes online in two years, they will still be 200 beds short. There are fundamental planning failures that have to be addressed, but I have to say I have never seen such a cynical attempt to cover up the crisis. Surely to God the first thing that management should do is acknowledge there is a crisis and try to work with the Minister to solve matters. Unfortunately, what we have seen over the last 24 hours is the exact opposite. I am calling for an urgent debate and for urgent action. I am calling for people on the Government benches to finally acknowledge that fundamental change alone will address the issues at University Hospital Limerick. There must be no more hiding of patients, no more covering up of problems, no more fleets of private ambulances outside our hospital to try to hide what is happening. We need action and we need delivery from this Government. After 11 years of Fine Gael in government, it is not too much to ask.