Simon Harris seeks A&E overcrowding answers from University Hospital Limerick

Health Minister Simon Harris has written to management at University Hospital Limerick asking how overcrowding seemed to be getting worse even after a new €24m A&E had been opened there.

The new emergency facility opened in May amid promises of three times more space and far better conditions for patients.

However, no sooner had it opened than the chronic overcrowding that had plagued the previous A&E reared its head once again. Documents obtained under freedom of information reveal how the patience of Health Minister Simon Harris finally ran out in July when promised improvements had not taken place.