I am honoured to be here as the first TD from Shannon, County Clare. It would not have been possible if it were not for the people of Clare, my family, party activists and those who have gone before me.

The number of patients on trolleys in University Hospital Limerick continues to consistently be the highest in the State. Last year, more than 6,000 patients left UHL's emergency department before completing treatment. The number of patients on trolleys for January of this year is 2,234. That is an increase of 161 on this time last year. The situation has deteriorated. In Clare, we have had a number of high-profile deaths caused by the crisis in UHL. This is not only distressing for the families left behind; it is also distressing to my constituents in Clare, some of whom have told me they would rather stay at home than risk going into a war-zone type situation. What immediate steps will the Government take, given that this crisis has continued since the 24-hour accident and emergency department at Ennis was closed in 2009?

I congratulate the Deputy on her election to the Dáil. I wish her well. She is right to highlight the issue of University Hospital Limerick. It is a major issue for her constituents and for people in the mid-west more broadly. I could quote figures showing the increased budget, the increased staffing and the increase in beds that have taken place, but I accept there is much more to do. That is why the previous Minister for Health, as the Deputy's colleague Deputy Cullinane will know, asked HIQA last year to lead a review into urgent and emergency care capacity in the mid-west region, including consideration of the need for a second ED. An interim update is expected this month. The final report is expected in May. That will guide the Government's next steps.