'Not realistic' to reopen regional hospital emergency departments, says Tánaiste

Around 11,000 people attended the protest in  Limerick City. Picture: Brednan Gleeson

Reopening emergency departments is not a “realistic proposition in the short term”, according to Tánaiste Micheál Martin.

Mr Martin made his comments after thousands took to the streets on Saturday to call for emergency departments to reopen in the Mid-West to reduce dependence on the country’s most overcrowded hospital.

Approximately 11,000 people attended the gathering in Limerick, the largest amongst a series of protests that took place at the weekend in a bid to highlight hospital overcrowding and delays.

The Mid-West region’s only emergency department is based at University Hospital Limerick (UHL), which, together with Cork University Hospital (CUH), was the most overcrowded hospital in the country in 2022.

Mr Martin said on Sunday that there had been an “unprecedented level” of disease this winter, but accepted that there needs to be a focus on certain areas, such as Limerick and Cork.

Strengthening medical assessment units in those hospitals “makes sense”, he told RTÉ’s News at One, adding that further services could also be provided. However, the clinical advice has been “very strong”, he added. 

“That full, comprehensive professional emergency departments with all of the consultants, senior consultants present is not really a realistic proposition in some of the locations [mentioned],” he said. 

Calls to open Ennis emergency department at the protest in Limerick City. Picture: Brednan Gleeson

“In the area of emergency medicine, we have to be honest here. Politically, we can make promises and make commitments, but the idea that you can suddenly restore accident and emergency departments with the full complement of anaesthetists, emergency medicine consultants, other consultants, and the full backup, I would have to say it's not a realistic proposition in short term.”

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Organised by the MidWest Hospital Campaign, along with Friends of Ennis Hospital and groups from Nenagh, the protest in Limerick on Saturday heard calls for emergency departments in Ennis, Nenagh, and at St John’s in Limerick City to reopen immediately.

Mike abd Layla Daly, taking part in the protest Limerick City. Picture: Brendan Gleeson

The gathering held two one-minute silences throughout the day; the first in honour of the 126 people who were waiting at UHL last year when the highest-ever overcrowding was recorded.

Another minute’s silence was held for Aoife Johnston, 16, who died from meningitis in UHL before Christmas. Members of Aoife’s family were among the crowds attending, holding her photograph.

A large crowd gathered at the UHL protest in  Limerick City. Picture: Brednan Gleeson

Inga Ammonsen, who lost her son Daniel Connor a week before his 29th birthday, told the Irish Examiner: “Not enough was done to help him, and he shouldn’t have died. I want answers and it's not good enough for everybody else in the country, there are too many people suffering.”

Inga Ammonsen, holding a picture of her son Daniel Connors at the protest in Limerick City. Picture: Brendan Gleeson

In Cork City, a small number of people also attended protests at Cork University Hospital (CUH). 

A protest at Cork University Hospital as part of a national campaign, organised by Aontú. Picture: Larry Cummins Echo/Examiner

Aontú representative for Cork North-Central, Finian Twomey, said the hospital emergency department crisis and the lack of doctors needed to be addressed.

“One hundred and twenty thousand on trolleys in the last 12 months," he said. "Something has to be done, the Government has to listen.”

Smaller numbers turned out to protest at other hospitals including University Hospital Kerry in Tralee.