UNIVERSITY Hospital Limerick had 100 more patients on trolleys in the first six days of May than all six busy Dublin hospitals combined.
That’s according to figures released by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) which shows UHL had 548 people on trolleys up to May 6.
In light of the figures, Limerick TD Maurice Quinlivan has called on the government to prioritise investment in the Mid West hospital and healthcare system, saying that “the fact that the numbers in UHL are higher than the six hospitals in Dublin is a national disgrace”.
The Limerick TD said that the HIQA review of urgent and emergency care in the region needs to be prioritised and that the government should be preparing to invest in a second emergency department for the region.
“Urgent investment is needed in the Mid West hospitals, including Ennis and Nenagh as well as Limerick, to deliver safe and timely care for local communities,” Deputy Quinlivan said.
“We can get lost in the figures and statistics, but we must keep in mind that the 548 people on trolleys for the first six days of May are people. They are our friends and our family members. They are people who have been deemed in need of a hospital bed and yet no bed is available to them. This has to stop.
“INMO has already recorded more than 8,356 admissions of people to UHL who there was no bed available for so far in 2025. That is scandalous.”
The Sinn Féin TD said that “we were told that HIQA’s review would be completed by May. The Minister must ensure that that report is prioritised and completed this month.”
“Regardless, the Minister should be preparing to invest in a second emergency department in the region because it is so clearly needed”.
Responding to recent criticisms of the trolley numbers by Deputy Quinlivan, a hospital spokesperson said that “University Hospital Limerick continues to experience high demand at its emergency department (ED), where daily attendances have risen by seven per cent in the year to April 20”.
“Of this total, 4,509 patients were aged over 75, which is 19 per cent higher than at the same point last year (compared with a two per cent average increase nationally for this age group).
“This year’s average daily ED attendances for UHL stand at 249. On nine days (including twice in April), presentations have exceeded 300, including January 28, when 334 patients attended, the highest ever for a single day at UHL.”
The hospital spokesman added that “in addition to our escalation policy for responding to high demand for emergency hospital care, we have enhanced and expanded access to urgent care facilities as alternate pathways to ED. Injury units and GP-referral medical assessment units in Ennis, Nenagh, and St John’s Hospitals are managing an average of approximately 1,200 patients per week.”
“To further improve emergency access at UHL, additional consultants are on duty at weekends and bank holidays, and we are sincerely grateful to the efforts of all our healthcare teams who have worked so hard to meet the challenges outlined above.”
