Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 January 2026
29. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Health if she will report on the increase in presentations at University Hospital Limerick; the number of patients being treated on hospital trolleys and in hospital corridors; and the immediate steps being taken to address this increase. [4440/26]
View answerI thank the Deputy for this question regarding University Hospital Limerick (UHL).
During 2025, UHL experienced significant demand with over 95,000 attendances, which is over 9% above what they saw in 2024.
This includes a 17% rise in presentations from patients aged 75 and over, who often present with greater acuity and complexity.
Regarding overcrowding, the daily average of patients on trolleys at 8am was 45 in 2025, a 10% reduction from the previous year.
It is important to clarify that the 8am trolley count includes all patients in non-appropriate areas such as hospital corridors.
To address these pressures, the Government is taking immediate action through investment and capacity expansion.
The 96-bed block, opened in October 2025, has already nearly halved the average number of people waiting on trolleys compared to the weeks prior to its opening.
Furthermore, we have expanded the acute virtual ward to 40 beds and extended opening hours for Medical Assessment Units in Ennis and Nenagh to midnight.
Staffing at UHL has also grown by 53% since 2019.
Looking forward, I welcome all three options proposed by HIQA in their Mid-West review report, including further expansion at UHL, securing an adjacent site, and progressing a strategic plan for a second Emergency Department in the region.
These measures will collectively deliver 420 additional beds across the Mid West by 2031.
