Staff at University Hospital Limerick fear the crisis could escalate even further this weekend after experiencing a record number of patients on trolleys for a hospital yesterday.

Tipperary grandmother Marie Gleeson has spoken of her 24-hour ordeal lying on a trolley overnight in a corridor in University Hospital Limerick emergency department.

The chief clinical director of University of Limerick Hospital, Professor Paul Burke is disputing the claims of the INMO about the number of patients on trolleys in the hospital today.

Veterans of the 15 previous clashes which Connacht have hosted against Munster will breathe a sigh of relief that the weather forecast for this evening in Galway is relatively good.

PLANS for a 120-bed replacement in-patient block at St John's Hospital, Limerick - to help tackle long-term patient overcrowding in University Hospital Limerick - are said to be “progressing”.

Update - Wednesday, July 19, 9.35am: Paul Burke has been found safe and well.

University Hospital Limerick’s chronic overcrowding and University Hospital Waterford’s lack of cardiac care services will be the focus of major protests this weekend.

The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has described as an “insult” the proposal to add 63 beds to the acute hospital system in the context of trolley figures reaching a record high of 612 this week.

The medical consultant charged with tackling overcrowded black spot University Hospital Limerick (UHL) yesterday blamed politicians.

The superbug CRE was a contributory factor in three deaths at University Hospital Limerick between 2009 and 2015, says the HSE.

Volkswagen’s second-generation Tiguan model arrives in Irish showrooms in July of this year and order books are now opening across the company’s dealer network.

Barrow Rangers (Kilkenny) 2-14 Shanballymore (Cork) 1-15: Kilkenny’s Barrow Rangers advanced to the All-Ireland JBHC final after defeatomg Cork champions Shanballymore in Killeedy yesterday.

The world of rugby and beyond yesterday has paid tribute to All Black legend Jonah Lomu, who passed away suddenly at the age of 40.

Volkswagen Ireland has announced that the ground-breaking new Golf GTE will go on sale in Ireland in July and order books have now opened. The price is expected to be sub-40k.

A Dublin-based start-up has signed a major contract with Capita Asset Services — part of one of the world’s leading professional services firms Capita Plc.

Volkswagen will have model upgrades and new finance offers for Irish buyers next January, which it hopes will bolster its market share here.

Along with the forthcoming new Ford Mondeo, the new Volkswagen Passat will be one of the most important new cars launched this year and last week — at the impressive Volkswagen Design Centre in Potsdam — the new car got its world premiere.

Geordan Murphy still togs out, of course. The former Ireland full back is a familiar sight on the training fields at Leicester, where he coaches now.

In 1998, two brothers started working on a financial software product in the evenings and at weekends. By 2001 they had given up their day jobs and taken on a global investment bank as their first customer, writes Trish Dromey

England fly-half Toby Flood was taken to hospital today after a heavy collision during Leicester’s pre-season match against Ulster.

Geordan Murphy will remain at Aviva Premiership champions Leicester next season following his retirement and form a new backs coaching team with Paul Burke.

A TOP consultant who has warned of major cutbacks at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital has been told by Finance Minister Michael Noonan there is no more money and the hospital will have to make do with it’s allocated budget.

BARBARA RICHARDSON will be easy to spot at Thomond Park tomorrow afternoon.

Cardiff Blues 38 Glasgow 6

John Kelly provides a fascinating insight into the Munster mindset ahead of the 2006 Heineken Cup final – and warns that their Basque opponents are the ones with a score to settle

CONTRACTS were signed yesterday for of a €35 million critical care unit at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick.

TWO of the great names of Irish and English rugby led legends onto the field last night for a major fundraising game for injured players.

MUNSTER’S opening European Cup game, on November 1, 1995, ended in triumph against Swansea at Thomond Park, but it was left to the captain Pat Murray to save the blushes with a late try to seal a 17-13 victory.

PLANS to transfer all acute surgery from Ennis and Nenagh hospitals to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick have been delayed.

How come so many Irish gems end up at Welford Road? EDWARD NEWMAN discussed the connections with Leicester’s chief scout Dusty Hare and ex-Lion Eric Miller

THE English Premiership (EP) may have its critics, with Sky Sports the greatest culprits in creating the illusion that it’s the best league in the world. In terms of marketing, stadium atmosphere and match-day colour, sure it’s in a league of its own, but question marks have always stalked the EP in terms of quality and standard.

FOLLOWING talks between the HSE and health service unions over the weekend, the new arrangements for A&E services in the mid-west kick in today.

Heyneke Meyer has resigned as head coach of Leicester, the Guinness Premiership club confirmed this afternoon.

THE Health Service Executive’s controversial timeline for the downgrading of hospital services in the mid-west should be deferred until unanswered questions over the safety of patients can be addressed, medics have urged.

PEOPLE living in isolated parts of the mid-west will not be put at risk with the centralisation of A&E services at Limerick’s Mid-Western Regional Hospital, a leading surgeon said yesterday.

THERE was a time not so very long ago when post-Christmas games between the sides and played west of the Shannon Connacht and Munster were decided by a single penalty goal.

The parents of a teenage thief are to be arrested after they failed to attend their son’s sentence hearing in the Dublin Children’s Court.

Irishmen Geordan Murphy will make his 50th Heineken Cup appearance for Leicester Tigers in their Heineken tussle with Leinster at The RDS on Saturday.

LIKE most ‘overnight’ sensations, Ian Humphreys had been paddling away furiously under the surface before he burst into the spotlight so serenely this past few months.

WHILE Llanelli, Biarritz, Munster and Leinster can derive comfort and satisfaction from securing a Heineken Cupquarter-final in March, they will know that their final seeding, to be decided this weekend, could make or break their challenge for ultimate honours.

Leicester 34 Cardiff Blues 0

MUNSTER joy was quickly tempered following this 19-13 Celtic League victory on Saturday when it was revealed that a broken bone in his right hand would rule Ronan O'Gara out of action for the next three weeks.

England fly-half Andy Goode endured a goalkicking nightmare as Guinness Premiership leaders Leicester suffered only their third defeat of the league campaign against Madejski Stadium hosts London Irish.

ENGLAND forward Julian White will sit out Leicester’s crunch Heineken Cup clash against Bourgoin tonight, with Tigers boss Pat Howard admitting: “He is battered”.