Regional airports debate
Senator Maria Byrne supported a debate on regional airports and recalled the late Mary Jackman’s service in Seanad Éireann and local government. The Chair thanked her and said expressions of sympathy would be made the following day.
Senator Kyne called for a debate on regional airports. As the Leader knows, I tabled a Commencement matter about it previously, so I second his call for having a debate sooner rather than later and having the Minister in.
Yesterday was a very sad day. Former councillor and former Member of this House, Mary Jackman of Limerick, passed away. She served two terms in the Seanad. She was the first female cathaoirleach of Limerick County Council back in 1999. Certainly, many people who would have served with her would have known what a live wire she was and how committed and dedicated she was to the people who elected her. I pay sympathy to her husband, Nick, her daughter, Nicola, and her sister, Ursula, as well as the extended Furlong and Jackman families. Certainly, she touched the lives of so many people.
There have been reduced services at University Hospital Limerick, UHL, yet again, in terms of procedures and admissions. It is not just at UHL. It is also in St. John’s and Nenagh. Somebody in the hospital put out a notice apologising to people for the fact their procedures had to be cancelled due to the high numbers on trolleys. I understand there are close to 90 people on trolleys in the hospital at present. I wrote to the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, asking when the independent review will take place and when we will know about it.
I have had no response to date.
It just beggars belief at this stage what is going on at University Hospital Limerick. It is the only hospital in Ireland with such high numbers. There is something wrong there. This affects the safety of staff and patients. People are now afraid to go to the hospital, which is really not acceptable. Will the Deputy Leader check with the Minister's office to see if she can get an answer to our questions? At this stage I just do not know where to go any more for an answer. This is totally unacceptable.
Comment on this
I thank the Senator for remembering former Senator Jackman. We will have expressions of sympathy tomorrow for her. We think of her family at this difficult time and her extraordinary commitment to public service, which should and will be acknowledged by this House. That will happen after tomorrow's Order of Business. I thank the Senator for raising the matter this afternoon.