Sinn Féin TD for Limerick Maurice Quinlivan has welcomed the decision from the government to not oppose or amend Sinn Féin’s plan for safe health care in the MidWest.

Teachta Quinlivan welcomed a historic day with the Dáil agreeing to Sinn Féin’s motion to commit to a second emergency department for the MidWest region.

He added that the terms of reference for the HIQA review of urgent and emergency care services must now examine the best location for a model 3 hospital with an emergency department to support UHL, and to set timeframes for delivering on this commitment.

The motion also called on the government to fast-track additional bed capacity for the region given that the people of the MidWest cannot wait years for a second full ED to be delivered before they receive safe care.

Teachta Quinlivan said:

“It is welcome that the government has decided not to oppose or amend but instead to accept Sinn Féin’s plan for safe health care in the MidWest.

“For fifteen years, we have seen clearly that the UHL has not been supported with adequate capacity and this has been a disaster.

“The necessary investment was never put in, and it is clear from the experience of people in Limerick, Clare, and Tipperary that a second emergency department is needed to support UHL in times of crisis, to provide safe and accessible care, and to provide for the increasing population in the region.

“The government must now honour this commitment, which is made by the Dáil to the people of the MidWest.

“The Minister for Health must now revise the terms of reference for the HIQA review of emergency and urgent care in the region.

“That review must now also include site identification for a model 3 hospital with an emergency department and set out timeframes for delivering it.”