Health Minister, Simon Harris, has confirmed that the new state of the art A&E at UHL will open this May, and not deferred to October as had been previously mooted.
Responding to a query from Limerick Senator, Kieran O’Donnell, Minister Harris gave a public commitment to opening a new, fully-operational, department in three months time.
“I am delighted to have last night in the Health Committee received a public commitment from Health Minister Simon Harris that the new state of the art A&E at UHL will be funded and opened when it is ready for operation,” said Senator O’Donnell.
“I explained to Minister Harris that the original opening date for the new A&E was March 2017 and this had already been deferred to May 2017. Any further delays are completely unacceptable to me and to the people of Limerick and the Mid-West as well as the staff and patients who have to currently endure a not fit for purpose A&E.
“I am today informed by Management at UHL that the new A&E is scheduled to be ready for operation and opening by May. In this context they advise me that: ‘the new A&E building is on schedule to be handed over to the hospital by the building contractors by the end of March. – the Purchase and commissioning of equipment is underway – Recruitment of the 90 new staff is well underway, with 2 of the 4 ED Consultants already in place, with the other two posts to be filled by April. Furthermore, 20 of the 30 nurses required are already recruited, with recruitment of the balance of 10 nurses currently underway’.”
“I will continue to work with UHL, HSE and Minister Harris and his Department to ensure this new state of the art A&E at UHL will be opened in May. The people of Limerick and the Mid-West have waited long enough for this urgently needed medical facility,” the Senator concluded.
