Yesterday, I was contacted by a Clare woman regarding what she witnessed at University Hospital Limerick, UHL, on Monday evening. She explained that she had spent nine hours at UHL with her elderly mother, who had been referred to the accident and emergency department from north Clare. She described to me her experience of being in the accident and emergency department surrounded by people literally writhing in pain on trolleys, a disproportionate number of whom were vulnerable, elderly people. In her own case, her mother, a woman in her 70s, presented at UHL at 1 p.m. on Monday. She was in the waiting room outside the emergency department. Her issue related to swelling of the eyes. At 3 p.m. she was brought to an eye specialist and then she returned to the emergency department waiting area where she had to start the process all over again. She sat in the waiting room until she finally gave up and went home ten hours later, at 10 p.m., without being seen. At 2 a.m. on Tuesday morning, the elderly lady received a phone call from a nurse advising that they were now ready to take her bloods, but she was two hours away at home. Her daughter estimated that more than 50% of those on trolleys and in the halls were senior citizens. This is a live example of the chaos and delays at UHL. I hear these horror stories almost every single day. What steps is the Government taking to mitigate the issues of people refusing to attend the hospital in the first place because they are frightened to go there and, as happens in many cases, of people leaving before being treated because there is simply not the capacity or staff to treat them?

I thank the Deputy. I am sorry to hear about the experience that lady had with her mother. We are committed to improving services in the mid-west region. A lot of additional funding has been allocated to UHL by this Government to achieve that. The budget has increased by 59%, to the tune of an additional €158 million, since 2019. Funding increased from €265 million to €423 million in 2023. Investment in the hospitals in the region has increased by 58%. Staffing at UHL has grown by 42%. The Minister has asked HIQA to lead a review into urgent and emergency care capacity in the mid-west region to determine whether a second emergency department is required. A lot of resources are going into this area. The Government is committed to supporting the hospital and doing all that we can.

We need a second emergency department as a matter of urgency.

Yes. The Minister has asked HIQA to examine the matter and he is waiting for the response.