LAST month was described as the most overcrowded February on record in Irish hospitals, with 11,595 patients treated on trolleys without a hospital bed, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO).
And while the figures were not the highest ever for University Hospital Limerick, the Dooradoyle hospital topped the February tally with 1,978 admitted patients without an in-hospital bed.
Limerick Labour TD Conor Sheehan issued a demand to the Minister for Health to take immediate action on the recent HIQA review of emergency services in the Mid West.
“Encouraging words from the Minister need to be backed up with firm financial commitments from the whole of Government,” he said. “We need to see a specific timeline including ringfenced funding for the full implementation of all three recommendations (of the report) in a sequential manner.”
“It is impossible to ensure patient safety and staff safety with trolley numbers continuously reaching 100 or more per day in UHL. The much lauded new 96-bed unit has had some impact on trolley numbers in UHL but they remain far too high and and while building a new hospital in the Mid West is ultimately necessary, we need additional bed capacity immediately to address the chronic lack of acute inpatient beds.”
He said he is also calling on the Minister “to commit to expanding bed capacity and services at St John’s, Ennis, and Nenagh and to expediate the review of better-integrated services”.
INMO this week said that 11,595 patients were treated without a hospital bed in February 2026, making it the worst February on record for hospital overcrowding.
The union noted that although overcrowding is now a year-round problem, particular hotspots were apparent in this winter’s trolley count, with over 1,900 patients waiting for beds in University Hospital Limerick and over 1,200 in University Hospital Galway in February alone.
Mary Fogarty, INMO’s assistant director of industrial relations, said: that “the two most overcrowded hospitals here in Limerick and Galway are key facilities in these regions, and the overcrowding and staffing issues will have a widespread impact on outcomes across the West and the Mid West”.
“Our members are telling us there is simply no way to provide safe care in conditions where there are 50 to 100 patients on trolleys every day, and this impact on patients, alongside the physical and mental toll on our members, is simply unacceptable.
“This is a high-risk situation for our members and the patients attending these hospitals, as well as people requiring community and primary care across these regions, and staffing numbers need to be brought in line with healthcare needs as a matter of urgency.”
A spokesman for UHL said:”ED (emergency department) attendances at UHL continue to increase significantly, presenting a challenge to hospital management and infrastructural capacity, particularly during the winter months”.
“Presentations to the ED grew by 17 per cent (1,249 additional patients) during January 2026 compared to the same period last year. ED presentations in February 2026 increased by 10 per cent (731) compared to the same month last year. Attendances to the department in March have grown by 29% (201) to date compared to the same period last year.
“During these busy periods, we continue ask patients to use the healthcare pathways most suited to their needs, including pharmacies, family doctors, and ShannonDoc after-hours GP service (lo-call 0818-123500, open Monday to Friday 6pm-8am and 24-hours on weekends and public holidays).
“For more urgent care not requiring an emergency department, we have a range of facilities, including injury units and GP-referral medical assessment units at Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s Hospitals, which are now managing upwards of 1,300 patients per week.”
Injury Units are walk-in facilities, delivering urgent care for a range of injuries including breaks, sprains and burns. They are open 8am-8pm every day, including public holidays, and can be reached on:
- Ennis Injury Unit: 065 686 3121
- Nenagh Injury Unit: 067 42 311
- St John’s Injury Unit: 061 462 132
The spokesman added: “The 128 new inpatient beds opened at UHL over the past year have made a positive impact, on the numbers of admitted patients waiting on trolleys in our ED but there is more work to be done. Works are ongoing on a second 96-bed block, and we are also progressing an application for a third 16-bed rapid-build ward at the hospital.”
“Additional consultants are rostered at UHL on weekends and bank holidays, and we are sincerely grateful to our healthcare teams for their tireless efforts to meet our the capacity challenges arising at times of high demand.
“We apologise to all patients who are currently facing long waiting times for an inpatient bed.”