Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Over the past couple of weeks, while we were all in recess, the numbers on trolleys in University Hospital Limerick increased to new record levels. I am becoming a broken record at this stage to come into this Chamber to speak on this issue because every month the figures seem to get higher and higher. We have been told by the Minister for Health that HIQA will carry out an investigation and inquiry into this. Yet, HIQA itself believes that it has no further role. I have been calling for an independent inquiry into the situation at Limerick hospital for many months at this stage and I welcome the fact that there is now going to be such an inquiry. We do not know the detail of this, who the person or persons who have been tasked with doing this are, what their background or qualifications are, whether they are from abroad or from Ireland, how independent they will be, what the terms of reference are, and what the timeline is. We do not need solutions to this problem in six or 12 months; we need them very quickly in weeks rather than in months. What is the timeline for this inquiry and, most importantly, will the recommendations be published and implemented. I ask for a debate with the Minister for Health in this House on emergency departments in general and, most specifically, on Limerick's at the earliest possible convenience.

It is not that long ago that Senators Ahern, Maria Byrne and myself tabled a tripartite Commencement debate on this issue and the response we received was not what we should have got. We need statements now on emergency departments, specifically on the University Hospital Limerick group.

Finally, I welcome the investment announced by the Minister, Deputy Harris, this morning in third level education. Third level education in this country had been underfunded for a long time and while this is not going to make up for the shortfall, I believe it is a very genuine first step in the right direction and I hope that this funding will reflect equality of access to third level for minority groups and for people with disabilities.