Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise the situation regarding trolley numbers in University Hospital Limerick. While we had a visit there last week from the Taoiseach, who is taking a personal interest in this issue, I note two things. The trolley numbers were down last week and are well up this week. There are in excess of 100 people on trolleys today, I believe it is 111 people, and there were similar numbers yesterday. The figure is quite high. Senator Conway raised the protocols that are in place in Ennis hospital. They were to be extended to Nenagh and St John's hospitals but other changes and supports also were due to happen. It is time we had a debate in this House. I also note that UHL has advertised for healthcare workers. Having healthcare workers employed helps by allowing people to be let home from hospital because the supports are in place to support them at home. The reason people are not applying for healthcare worker roles is because there are not supports in place for them. In some cases, workers receive money towards their transport costs while other do not. There seems to be a discrepancy right across the system in terms of supports for healthcare workers and that in turn stops them from applying for jobs. It is time we had a debate about the overall health system and how we can support healthcare workers. We need to have that wider debate. I ask the Deputy Leader to request that the Minister for Health comes to the House to have that wider debate about how we can support health workers to make hospitals, and UHL in particular, safe in terms of the worker and the patient experience.