Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)

I wish to raise the report that was released this morning by HIQA regarding University Hospital Limerick and the three recommendations it contains. My understanding is that all three recommendations are under consideration. Will the Leader ask the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, to come before the House as soon as possible to discuss this issue? One of the key things that came out of the report is the need for 90 additional beds at the hospital. That is despite the fact that we will be opening 92 new beds in the next couple of weeks, as I understand it.

The recommendations are as follows. Option A would involve an expansion on the existing hospital grounds. Option B recommends something the Leader will be familiar with, that is, a model 3 hospital alongside a model 4 hospital, similar to Merlin Park University Hospital and University Hospital Galway. While the model 3 hospital would have an emergency department, it would not cater for acute emergencies. Option C would involve building a completely new hospital with a second accident and emergency department. Discussion is needed regarding those options. In the meantime, however, we need to find an additional 92 beds before the end of the year. There are more than 100 people on trolleys at University Hospital Limerick today. The report is welcome. We have waited for a long time for it to come out, but we need to start acting on it sooner rather than later because this is a pressing issue.

I also wish to be associated with the votes of sympathy to the family of the late former Minister and Senator, Martin Mansergh, and to Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee on the passing of her mother, Mary. May they both rest in peace. Our thoughts are with the families and, in particular, with our colleague Senator Clifford-Lee.