John Cummins (Waterford, Fine Gael)

I thank both Senators for raising this important matter. I can assure them on the investment flow that has gone into University Hospital Limerick. There is a significant focus. I know the importance of the review informing future investment. I come from Waterford in the south-east region where a hospital serving a population catchment of over 600,000 has had zero trolleys for the last three years because of very clinical bed management and patient flow through that acute hospital. The former CEO of University Hospital Waterford, Grace Rothwell, has been appointed as the national director for acute hospitals and will assist the new executive in University Hospital Limerick to ensure patient flow and bed management in order that we get the benefit from the additional 140 beds that have been provided to University Hospital Limerick over the last number of years. There is further significant investment to go into the region to ensure that we no longer have patients on trolleys because that is unacceptable. However, there does have to be better management of the flow, notwithstanding the excellent work that is done by staff on the ground day in, day out. I will take the comments back to the Minister.