Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, MEP for Ireland South, has today welcomed the Government’s decision to progress the recommendations of the HIQA report on urgent and emergency healthcare services in the HSE Mid-West Region, describing it as an important acknowledgment of the scale of the crisis facing patients and families across the region.
The MEP said the Government’s acceptance of all three HIQA options – including expansion at University Hospital Limerick, development of an additional site, and wider regional investment – confirms what communities in Limerick, Clare and Tipperary have been saying for years: there are simply not enough beds or capacity to meet demand.
“This statement is a clear recognition that the Mid West has been failed for far too long when it comes to hospital capacity,” Ní Mhurchú said. “HIQA has been unequivocal – the core problem is a lack of inpatient beds – and I welcome the Minister’s commitment to addressing this through a combination of short-, medium- and long-term measures.”
However, Ní Mhurchú cautioned that timelines outlined in the statement are a major concern and stressed that the region cannot afford to wait decades for a new hospital build or expanded capacity to materialise.
“The Mid-West cannot wait 20 years for a new build while patients continue to experience overcrowding, trolley crises and delayed care,” she said. “People need to see accelerated delivery, not just long-term planning. That is why I will be engaging directly with Minister for Public Expenditure, Jack Chambers, to ensure that these developments are explicitly included in the accelerated infrastructure plan.”
Ní Mhurchú said that inclusion in an accelerated infrastructure framework is essential to ensure funding, planning and delivery are fast-tracked and not pushed into the long grass.
“Commitments on paper must translate into action on the ground. If we accept that hundreds of additional beds are required by 2040, then we must also accept that the urgency is now. Every year of delay has real consequences for patients and healthcare workers,” she added.
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