Dee Ryan (Fianna Fail)

I draw attention, unfortunately, to a very serious accident that happened in Limerick in recent weeks. A woman who is a student at the University of Limerick was jogging close to a pedestrian crossing on Corbally Road in Limerick. She was seriously injured. Our thoughts are with her and her family as she is in hospital in Cork undergoing treatment. Limerick councillors in that area have been drawing attention to the fact that it is a very busy road and close to a primary school. It is also a huge area for commuters. In the mornings, it is chock-a-block. People are not respecting the pedestrian crossing. They are not observing the flashing lights. They are not slowing down or stopping to allow pedestrians, who are often small primary school children, to pass.

It is an issue that I have raised in another part of Limerick. The Shelbourne Road in Limerick city also has a pedestrian crossing with flashing beacons close to a primary school. Drivers seem to be zooming through the crossing and failing to observe any safety measures. I have written to the county council about the issue. I have engaged with local residents about it. I would like it if we could have a debate on what further measures can be implemented at pedestrian crossings because, unfortunately, whether they are looking at their phones or speeding to get ahead in traffic, drivers are not taking due care. Many suggestions have been made to me by residents of the area I am speaking about. People are asking why we cannot have cameras on these pedestrian crossings that will read a numberplate and issue a fine to someone who is not observing a person crossing at a pedestrian crossing. I would like a discussion of that issue on a date that is suitable.

I acknowledge the front page of this week's Limerick Leader, which is one of the oldest, most established and most prominent local papers in Limerick. It has published the photographs of four women who, unfortunately, over recent years lost their lives in the emergency department at University Hospital Limerick, UHL. I thank the Minister for coming to the House last Thursday and giving us her time to debate the topic of the HIQA report. I thank her for her engagement on that matter. However, on Tuesday, HSE mid-west had, once again, to issue a media release to the local papers and radio to ask people not to come to the emergency department at UHL unless they had a real emergency because it was at such a level of overcrowding. I know the Minister would have different views on the matter, but we in Limerick are living it. I was there on Monday with a family member. The team is amazing, as is the care, but patients are waiting on trolleys for a long time. When it gets busy, it is, unfortunately, less safe. I call on the Minister to publish her views on the HIQA report as soon as possible.