Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Health the steps being taken to alleviate the situation at the accident and emergency department at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick, in view of the fact that patients, especially elderly people, have to endure long waiting times on trolleys; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4965/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Immediately following my appointment, I established the Special Delivery Unit, as set out in the Programme for Government. The aim of the SDU is to unblock access to acute services by improving the flow of patients through the system. There was significant progress during the course of 2012 in reducing the number of patients waiting on trolleys. In December 2012, there were 23.5% fewer patients waiting on trolleys compared to December 2011. This equates to more than 20,000 patients whose experience of our acute hospitals has been significantly improved. Since before Christmas hospitals have seen a significant increase in the number of very sick patients needing admission. The increase in norovirus in hospitals has been well publicised; we are also seeing high levels of admissions of frail elderly people and of patients presenting with respiratory related illnesses. However, evidence from the last year has proved that the health system has the capacity to respond to these challenges and to continue to improve emergency care. The situation is being actively managed at a national level, while all staff including consultants, nurses, allied health staff and management is working extremely hard to address the pressures experienced by hospitals since the New Year.

In relation to the specific query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.