Cork, Kerry and Limerick hospitals see biggest rise in emergency department demand

An internal HSE report shows emergency department demand rising sharply in the south-west as disputes over staffing, spending and patient safety continue

Tensions continue between health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and Cork University Hospital around patient safety risks and recruitment. Picture: Dan Linehan

Hospitals in Cork, Kerry, and Limerick saw bigger growth in emergency department demand this year than other HSE regions, an internal HSE report reveals.

It comes as tensions continue between health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and Cork University Hospital (CUH) around patient safety risks and recruitment. 

Earlier this week, University Hospital Limerick (UHL) management met politicians to raise similar issues. 

On Friday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he is not going to get into “megaphone rows” with CUH about its staff but warned that “people have to do their jobs and manage their resources”.

The Cork South Central TD said there is “no doubt that staffing in CUH has gone up significantly in the last year again".

"That's a fact. We can't take from that," he said. 

When asked if Ms Carroll MacNeill was singling out CUH because of its outspoken chief executive Jennifer Kearney, who has doubled down on her concerns about staffing and patient safety at the hospital, Mr Martin said the health minister had a “laser-like focus on trolley and attendances” at many hospitals.

This report, dated October 2, shows hospitals in Cork and Kerry have a 10% increase in emergency department patients compared to last year. 

It shows UHL has an 8% jump. 

It found Dublin and the Midlands has the highest deficit nationally. 

The only regions not in financial restrictions are HSE Midwest, HSE Dublin and North East. 

The new internal report shows 70% of consultants were on the public-only contract by October 2. 

It was shared by Labour health spokeswoman Marie Sherlock. 

“We have responses from the HSE saying they are only forecasting demand now after they get their budget,” she said. 

“No right-thinking business would work out their budget for next year without having forecast demand, so why do we do that to a €29bn organisation?

“How do you measure patient safety risk? Do you measure it after something appalling has happened or do you listen to the red flags being put up over the last number of months?” 

A Department of Health spokesman said: “The South-West Region is not being singled out for overspending. 

"Year-on-year expenditure growth in the region is 12%, the highest of any region. Financial performance is being actively monitored across all regions.” 

Emergency department patient numbers account “for only a small proportion” of costs, he said, pointing to a Budget2027 investment to support private care changes. 

A HSE spokeswoman confirmed the high emergency department numbers and said: "This increase in demand does account for a proportion of the deficit in these regions."

She added: "There is no undue focus on the HSE South West Region, relative to other health regions", saying all regions are expected to deliver on their pay budget targets in 2026.