Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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442. To ask the Minister for Health if he will launch an investigation into the failure of University Hospital Limerick to lower the trolley numbers at the hospital despite opening a new 60-bed unit recently; if he will request the reopening of 24-hour accident and emergency services in Nenagh, St. John's, and Ennis to take the pressure off the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21799/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I wrote to Mr. Reid, CEO of the HSE,  on 26th April to request that an expert team be sent to University Hospital Limerick to ascertain urgently what additional resources might be deployed, as well as any changes that could be made quickly to alleviate the current pressures being experienced in the Emergency Department. I have stressed that it is very important to me that the management and the clinicians at University Hospital Limerick get all of the support that they possibly need.

My Department and the HSE will continue to work with local hospital management to improve patient experience in UHL. It must be acknowledged that the hospital has been dealing with the Covid pandemic since the new beds were opened and this has impacted on patient flow within the hospital and to the model 2 hospitals and nursing homes in the region which impacts on ED performance.