Labour TD Alan Kelly had to 'beg' 85-year-old father to attend UHL

The Labour TD Alan Kelly said: 'I had to convince a crying 85-year-old man, my own father, to actually go in because of all the reports with regard to the hospital of which the Taoiseach is well aware.' File photo: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie

The Labour TD Alan Kelly has told the Dáil that he had to "beg" his father to attend University Hospital Limerick due to reports about the hospital.

Mr Kelly asked Taoiseach Simon Harris when facilities at the hospital might be improved and said that he had personal experience of the fear that reports about the ongoing crisis at UHL are causing.

"The issues in University Hospital Limerick, UHL, cross over into counties Tipperary, Limerick, Clare and further afield. I have direct experience of these. I have spoken on no other issue more than this. 

"My direct experience currently is that my own dad has been in the UHL suite of hospitals for the last four weeks. I had to convince a crying 85-year-old man, my own father, to actually go in because of all the reports with regard to the hospital of which the Taoiseach is well aware.

"I really want to know the following. As we head into the election I would like a series of dates. The Minister, Deputy Donnelly, said the new 96-bed block would be open in the first quarter of next year, but the head of the HSE, Bernard Gloster, said it would be the middle of next year. 

"Which date is accurate? The people of the Midwest need to know," Mr Kelly said.

The Labour TD also said there had been confusion around the timetable for the opening of a new unit at the hospital.

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In response, the Taoiseach said he would get clarity on this issue and wished the Labour TD's father well.

“I would like to firstly send my best wishes to your dad.

“Secondly, I appreciate the importance of the point you are making, I'll ask the Minister for Health to provide you with the timeline."

Mr Kelly's comments come in the wake of a scathing report into the death of teenager Aoife Johnston at the hospital, by former Chief Justice Frank Clarke. Mr Clarke’s report made 17 recommendations which are now under consideration by the HSE.

Meanwhile, HSE chief clinical officer Dr Colm Henry has said that ending hospital overcrowding is the responsibility of everyone in the health services - not  just emergency department staff.
He was speaking after a “devastating” documentary on families and patients affected by overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick, broadcast by VirginMedia on Monday.

Dr Henry said of the people who shared their experiences: “It’s devastating for families.

“It’s one thing to lose people through bereavement, it’s always tragic but to lose people when it’s associated with harm is just devastating.” 

Two of the women interviewed, Karina Leahy and Ashlee Dickinson, described the unexpected loss of a parent each last year at the hospital.

“I don’t think anybody who saw it last night could fail to be moved by their stories, their experiences, their sense of hurt,” he said.

Talking about challenges facing so many patients, he said the “fundamental underlying cause in all hospitals is overcrowding”.

He said tackling this will be “difficult”, pointing out at UHL they have seen “an almost 30% increase since 2019” in numbers of patients aged over 75 attending the ED this year.