Emergency department overcrowding and fire risk
Deputy Micheál Martin raised severe stress and safety concerns in overcrowded emergency departments, citing a Limerick fire officer’s warning. The Taoiseach said the health and well-being Bill was not on the priority list and its heads were still being worked on.
The medical, nursing and other staff who are working in the emergency departments of our hospitals are under enormous stress working in overcrowded wards and find it difficult on a daily basis to maintain basic health and safety. We read in today's newspapers that the chief fire officer in Limerick has gone to the extraordinary length of saying that there is a fire hazard in terms of numbers being exceeded, that he will need to take enforcement action if matters do not improve and that the responsibility lies with the HSE as the enforcing authority.
The Government has promised in its legislative programme the health and well-being and workplace well-being Bill. It is all well and fine to introduce legislation like that, but will the Taoiseach indicate when it will be published? Will he ensure that staff and patients in our hospitals are meanwhile not exposed to fire hazards and can maintain basic health and safety in such accident and emergency departments?
