Varadkar promises inquiry into second flood in a year at Letterkenny hospital

Minister for Health Leo Varadkar has ordered an investigation into the cause of a flood at Letterkenny General Hospital, the second in just over a year.

Torrential rain on Tuesday evening caused thousands of gallons to gush towards the Co Donegal hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department, which was built in a hollow. Last July up to 70 per cent of the hospital ground floor and basement was covered in floodwater after torrential rain. On that occasion a drain burst its banks. It resulted in severe damage to the building, which will cost an estimated €40 million to renovate and rebuild.

The latest flood, which came as a result of water coming from a main road, did not cause the same damage as last year’s. However this was due in no small part to staff putting sandbags at the front doors of the A&E department as water poured in. they also returned to the hospital to help with the clean-up and to prevent the water gaining access again.

Mr Varadkar paid tribute to the staff yesterday and promised a report into the cause. “I have sought a report from the HSE on the flooding. More than €1 million is being invested in flood management works which will be completed later in the year. I want to thank the hospital staff, emergency staff, local authority, GPs and the staff at Sligo at Altnagelvin for their assistance when Letterkenny was off call,” he said.

Hospital manager Seán Murphy said the clinical areas were unaffected, but the hospital had to close for three hours to allow water to be pumped from car parks. However, despite the lucky escape, local politicians have demanded an inquiry into not only the latest flooding but the design and planning of the building.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn TD (Sinn Féin) said an inexpensive and quick judicial inquiry was needed to get to the root of the flooding.

“The fact remains that we have a hospital which is quite liable to flood again if we have another torrential downpour,” he said. “A full inquiry is needed to determine why this has happened on three occasions now. The Government could order an inquiry which would be overseen by a retired judge and it wouldn’t have to be an expensive or time-consuming exercise.”