Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State is very welcome to discuss this important issue. I will share time with my colleague, Senator Conway. Senator Ahearn sends his apologies. He has his own very strong views on the issue of overcrowding in University Hospital Limerick.

From my own experience and from hearing from people in Limerick, I know that there are great concerns. Only today, I spoke to a man who has been in hospital for three weeks. He is seriously ill and has a lot of underlying health conditions. When he first went into University Hospital Limerick, he spent at least three days on a trolley. He is still in the hospital three weeks later. He is very grateful for the care and attention he received once he got into the hospital but spending three days on a trolley when one is very sick is not acceptable. He is just one example of the many people who are waiting on trolleys.

There are no visitors allowed at the moment. Visits are very restricted unless somebody is very seriously ill, a child or a confused patient. That is a result of Covid. The number of people with Covid is increasing, as we are all very aware. There were 97 Covid patients in University Hospital Limerick yesterday, which is a really high number. That is adding to the troubles. My concern is that people are going into the hospital and waiting on trolleys. As I said, the care they receive is excellent but there is also the matter of the safety of the people working in the hospital. They are working under very difficult conditions. I have been speaking to patients and to staff. I know there was to be a Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, investigation. I am concerned that the Taoiseach said that there would be a HIQA investigation but that the Minister for Health said that he would consider it. That needs to be clarified.If there is to be a visit to the hospital, this should not be recognised or announced. The people who will be carrying out this inquiry will have to go and see for themselves, unannounced.