Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I understand exactly where the Senator is coming from. Based on the answer I provided, everyone has to acknowledge that more investment and staff have been put into University Hospital Limerick than in any other hospital in Ireland in the last four years. That is a fact. Unfortunately, there are issues that take a long time to deal with. There are cultural issues and the way things are managed.

To take University Hospital Waterford as an example, while I am not saying everything is perfect – it is not – it never has anyone on a trolley. The reason is that when someone goes into to the emergency department of University Hospital Waterford, there are 16 specific pathways. If it is an issue with a limb, for instance, the person goes directly to the area where that is sorted. Again, I am not saying everything is perfect there but for a long time, senior management have been in the emergency department from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. Four senior managers in the hospital rotate every weekend to ensure people are discharged.

Ms Sandra Broderick is now the regional executive officer and Bernard Gloster and the Minister for Health have focused on this whole area. A huge amount of work has been done. There is the pathfinder, for example, an emergency department avoidance programme run by allied health staff and the National Ambulance Service. The pathfinder aims to deliver safe alternative care at home and is working very well. The extra beds in Cahercalla will make a big difference, as will the 50 extra beds in Nenagh. We are also doing work on hospital avoidance because some people do not need the acute hospital.

I will bring back the issue the Senator raised about the 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. service. I understand where she is coming from, especially the point that Ennis does not have a model 3 hospital and it is a long drive from west Clare to UHL. I appreciate that. I thank the Senator for her advocacy. I hear her speak on this subject constantly.