Paul Cullen

Paul Cullen

Health Correspondent

Paul Cullen is Health Editor of The Irish Times

The drug Orkambi, made by Vertex Pharmaceuticals, was approved for use in the Republic after a campaign by people with Cystic Fibrosis and their families. Photograph Nick Bradshaw
Cystic fibrosis drug drives surge in sales at Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Breakthrough medicine Orkambi main factor behind 71% rise in sales

Minister for Health Simon Harris: The external review is in response to allegations made by a whistleblower about governance and administrative issues at the board. Photograph: Dara Mac Donaill / The Irish Times
Harris orders review at nursing and midwifery board

Minister for Health orders external investigation in response to allegations about governance

PKU drug to be made available to Irish patients at third time of asking

HSE has agreed to reimburse Kuvan for up to 20pc of patients with rare metabolic disorder

It has taken the President of the High Court, Mr Justice Peter Kelly, to highlight our “defective” procedures for recruiting doctors over recent years.
Dysfunctional recruitment rules for doctors defy understanding

Hospitals relying on junior doctors, as untrained ‘consultants’ threaten patient safety

Among its findings, the HSE report finds that doctors of ‘unknown professional standard’ continue to work in hospitals.
Medical staffing ‘crisis’ threatens patients and services, HSE report claims

Review says hospitals’ reliance on ‘transient’ foreign doctors has created instability

Minister for Children Katherine Zappone has written a series of letters to Minister for Health Simon Harris (above). Photograph: Aidan Crawley
Zappone and Harris in standoff over €4m for disability care

Tusla and HSE at odds over who should pay for care of 34 vulnerable young adults

Because ‘Mary’ had turned 18, Tusla, the agency providing for her care, felt hamstrung in relation to what action might be taken to protect her. Photograph: Alan Betson
Government promised protocol to let disabled people access HSE-funded services at 18

Tusla continues to fund placements on ‘humanitarian and exceptional basis’

Irish doctors are “pushed” to emigrate by factors such as health cuts, deteriorating working conditions and reductions in new entrant salaries for consultants. They are also influenced by “pull factors” in Australia such as good working conditions and staffing levels. File photograph: Getty
Good working conditions: Australian pull factors lure yet more Irish doctors

Doctors ‘pushed’ to emigrate by health cuts, poor conditions and new entrant salaries

St Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny. Once the issue became known, the hospital stopped the tests, seized the equipment and informed the patients.
Without consent: Five women who had gynaecological work to be contacted

Patients to be briefed on contents of report before it is published

St Luke’s Hospital in Kilkenny. Inspectors from the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) have made urgent recommendations for change, after its inspectors visited the unit.
Patient consent issue just one of a number of problems at hospital’s maternity unit

Death of two pregnant patients prompted outside investigations into St Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny

Minister for Health Simon Harris ‘was gung-ho on getting in Repeal the Eighth - I think for cynical reasons - without preparing the system for the workload that was thrown upon it,’ says Kilkenny consultants Prof Ray O’Sullivan. Photograph: Laura Hutton/The Irish Times
Kilkenny hospital to appoint extra obstetrician to facilitate abortions

Move follows claim by four doctors that St Luke’s was not ‘an appropriate location’ for the service

A speculum is a tool used by doctors to investigate bodily orifices and is used by gynaecologists to open the vagina for examination. Photograph: Andrew Matthews/PA
Women unaware experimental procedure was to be carried out

Obstetrician and gynaecologist’s work on new speculum raises bodily autonomy issues

Obstetrician and gynaecologist Prof Ray O’Sullivan says he did not feel he needed to obtain consent before carrying out tests on five women patients last year. Photograph: Anthony Devlin/PA
Gynaecologist performed ‘exploratory work’ without consent

Kilkenny hospital referred matter to Medical Council and sought suspension of doctor

Studies have indicated one in every 165 Irish schoolchildren has an autism spectrum disorder, and the number of cases is increasing. Photograph: iStock
Call for more research into environmental factors causing autism

Experts cite ‘limited evidence’ linking a difficult labour to autism

The NAGP has struggled to collect subscriptions due from doctors due to ‘negative publicity’ in recent months, according to chief executive Chris Goodey.
Creditors meeting hears NAGP has almost €400,000 in debts

Liquidator appointed to company behind the association of GPs

Given the lateness of the deferral of the strike, there still could be disruptions in hospitals and healthcare facilities. Photograph: iStock
Government may bring forward additional payments to end strike threat

Siptu warns of further possible strikes by healthcare assistants, lab aides and porters

Given the lateness of the deferral of the strike, there still could be some disruptions in hospitals and healthcare facilties.
Planned strike by thousands of healthcare staff on Thursday deferred

Move follows intervention of the Workplace Relations Commission on Wednesday

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar indicated the appeal was to obtain clarity on the legal position after the judgment by Mr Justice Kevin Cross caused widespread alarm among doctors. Photograph: Fran Veale
Government to pay full award to Ruth Morrissey despite appeal

Varadkar says appeal against High Court judgment is to obtain clarity

Dr Gabriel Scally: according to his report, disclosure of the audit occurred in just 43 cases. Photograph: Crispin Rodwell
CervicalCheck: at least 120 women to receive €20,000 each

Cabinet approves payments for women who were not informed of smear test audit

Hospital managers are warning of the potentially ‘crippling’ impact of the strike on hospital services
Hospital managers warn of possibly ‘crippling’ impact of strike

Industrial action by support staff would have significant impact on services, says HSE

Dr Michael Burnell declined to co-operate with the professional competence scheme of the Medical Council.
Medical Council finds GP failed to co-operate with investigation

Dr Michael Burnell told officials he was retired and had no intention of co-operating

Ruth Morrisse’s solicitor said on Monday his client had still not been told directly about the State Claims Agency’s appeal. File photograph: Dave Meehan
Cancer screening: Claims body says appeal will not affect Ruth Morrissey’s €2.1m award

Barrister says it is not clear how the award could be ‘disconnected’ from an appeal

Sources say the report contains a detailed roadmap for removing private patients from public hospitals. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times
Removing private care from hospitals likely to take considerably longer than expected

Publication of report on implementing the Sláintecare plan has been shelved until autumn

Poverty is the ultimate cause of childhood obesity, said Prof Viner
Don’t blame parents for their obese kids, conference hears

Europediatrics 2019 in Dublin discusses the causes and prevention of childhood obesity

Outpatient waiting lists are up more than 40,000 since the end of last year. Photograph: iStock
Over 556,000 on waiting lists as hospital delays hit new record

Fianna Fáil says figures ‘a disgrace’ despite small fall in patients waiting for operations

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medication is used to prevent HIV infection. Photograph: iStock
HIV prevention programme to be rolled out by end of year

Pre-emptive anti-retroviral drugs regime to be introduced to combat rise in infections

“When things go wrong during a patient’s healthcare journey, for whatever reason, a genuine expression of regret delivered in a manner which is empathic is always appropriate”
Health staff told to disclose all incidents of harm to patients

Under new HSE policy workers urged to provide sincere apologies where errors occur

Dr Gabriel Scally found about 250,000 smear tests from women in Ireland were read in labs that had not been approved by CervicalCheck. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire
CervicalCheck defends performance of unapproved Salford lab

Legislation to set up a tribunal on alleged misreading of smear tests to go to Cabinet

Dr Gabriel Scally says legal processes are clearly failing to meet the wishes of patients. Photograp: Crispin Rodwell/ The Irish Times
Doctor calls for no-fault compensation scheme for patients

There is 'crying need' for change, says Dr Gabriel Scally, investigating CervicalCheck

The 7.5% annual contribution from the asset value of the family home is charged for three years. File photograph: Getty
What exactly is the Republic’s Fair Deal scheme?

Farming families unhappy over paying a percentage of the farm’s value for care

‘In my view, there is a crying need for a change of approach,’ Dr Gabriel Scally, said.Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
Scally: Irish smears regularly tested in unapproved labs overseas

System in place for responding to errors in screening is ‘inadequate to the task’

Protesters at Leinster House, Dublin in February called for the HSE to approve Spinraza for children who have spinal muscular atrophy. Photograph: Gareth Chaney/Collins
HSE approves Spinraza after lengthy campaign by patients

Drug is only treatment on market for spinal muscular atrophy, which affects 25 children in State

The cost of claims against the HSE and settled last year by the agency jumped 13 per cent to €318.7 million, from €283.2 million in 2017. File photograph: Getty
State faces €2.8bn in HSE legal claims

Catastrophic birth injuries account for most costly category of claims against the health service

Fianna Fáil’s Marc MacSharry said: ‘There is something very wrong with our system if our patients are being left behind and denied access to the latest medicines.’ Photograph: Bryan O’Brien
AstraZeneca says its lung cancer drug still waiting for approval

FF’s Marc MacSharry calls on Government to prioritise access to latest cancer therapies

In some cases, women are still being asked to wait longer than 33 weeks to receive the results of their smear tests. Photograph: iStock
US laboratory to help clear backlog of smear tests

HSE agreement with Quest Diagnostics will ensure survival of CervicalCheck programme

Botox has to be administered by a medical doctor, but dermal filler products can be injected by practitioners without a medical degree. Photograph: Robert Daly/Ojo/Getty
Ban on botox for under 18s being considered as ‘matter of priority’

Minister for Health wants department to outline public health risks of using fillers

Photograph: Thinkstock
Waiting lists to grow if ‘brain drain’ of doctors leaving not halted, says IHCA

Consultants launch #CareCantWait social media campaign to highlight doctor shortage

So far this year, six cyclists have been killed on Irish roads and many more injured, some very seriously. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw
Irish hospitals treat one cyclist every three days for trauma injury on roads

Three-quarters of those injured were men and average age of patients was 44 years

The cost of GP claims increased from €293.8 million to €311.5 million between 2013 and 2017. Photograph: Getty Images
Family doctors paid average of €104,000 for treating medical card patients

Doctors saw 1.11 million male patients and 1.22 million females over five-year period

It is “irresponsible” of governments not to develop proper systems of trauma care when upgrading road systems, says Prof Mark Fitzgerald, a trauma expert from the Alfred Hospital in Australia. Photograph: Alan Betson
Call for road user tax to fund costs of traffic-inflicted injury

Mater forum to hear how integrated trauma service could reduce fatalities

Hiqa inspectors found ‘inadequate signage posted at wash hand basins and no signage at others, which posed a risk to residents and visitors’.
Water at Galway nursing home ‘still unfit to drink or shower in’ – Hiqa

Inspectors ‘not assured’ the water at Merlin Park community nursing unit was safe

The National Maternity Hospital (NMH) in Holles Street is undertaking a lookback of unborn babies found to have a fatal foetal abnormality over the past 20 years to see if they were correctly diagnosed. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien
Woman who had abortion after misleading test calls for an inquiry

Couple say they ‘were not scared of the prospect of caring or loving a very sick child’

Nine claims against BreastCheck are under active management by the State Claims Agency, more than at any time since the service was set up in 1998. Photograph: David Cheskin/PA
Breast cancer screening service’s future may be at risk over legal claims

Health sources fear claims of misdiagnosis in BreastCheck scheme threaten its viability

Linda Hannan: Mother of two from Celbridge had to pay €3,000 privately to have her tissue sample examined in the US.
Gene test access widened to women whose breast cancer has spread to lymph nodes

Oncotype test reveals hormone therapy alone sufficient treatment for many women

The National Maternity Hospital. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien
UK experts decline to get involved in review of abortion that followed misleading test

National Maternity Hospital had asked London-based medics to examine incident at the hospital

The cost of biosimilars is usually less than half that of the originator products.
Hospitals incentivised to move patients off expensive medicines

Scheme offers €500 per patient to departments that switch from Humira and Enbrel

A file photograph of Dr Susan Finnerty (right) the Inspector of Mental Health Services. Photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish Times.
Use of dormitories for long-stay mental health patients ‘unacceptable’

Dr Susan Finnerty says 20 residents in a unit found to be ‘sharing one shower’

Delays continued to affect the national rail network through Tuesday as engineers worked to rectify the signalling issues. Photograph: Eric Luke
Rail services return to normal after major morning signals fault

Some 20,000 affected as intercity trains halted for two hours, commuter services for four

Maria Bailey has declined to say in what way she believed the hotel to be negligent. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
Maria Bailey and her swing case: questions that remain

What injuries did she suffer, and what legal advice did she receive and from whom?

Minister for Health Simon Harris launching the first National Skin Cancer Policy, with help from Rory Daly, Eddie Daly, Molly O’Neill and Jasmine Le Ray, all from Marino, Dublin. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill/The Irish Times
Total ban on sunbeds not possible due to EU rules, says Simon Harris

Minister for Health wants reduced VAT on sun cream to help prevent skin cancer

‘If you are obese, it is harder to get pregnant and, when you do, the complication rates are higher in terms of issues like Caesareans and diabetes.’ Photograph: iStock
Obesity rates among new mothers up 20% in Coombe hospital

Trend partly driven by Irish women waiting until 30s to become mothers, study finds

Cannabis: the Cabinet is likely to consider proposals in June to decriminalise the possession of a small amount for personal use. Photograph: Image Bank/Getty
Cannabis legalisation: ‘It’s a bit like the anti-vaxx debate’

A group of doctors say we are ‘sleepwalking’ into legalising cannabis. Is it time to wake up?

As part of the agreement, the IMO dropped its objection in principle to the Government’s plans to extend free GP care to further cohorts of children. File photograph: Lynne Cameron/PA Wire
GPs back €210 million deal to reverse cuts and reform patient management

Irish Medical Organisation members voted by 95 per cent in favour of the deal

Kim Kardashian and other celebrities are ‘coming into issues that have a serious effect on our public health’, Fine Gael TD Kate O’Connell told an Oireachtas committee on Wednesday. File photograph: Angela Weiss/AFP/Getty
Kardashian effect is ‘diminishing’ public health messages, TD claims

Vaccinated children could suffer serious illness from mumps, says Kate O’Connell

The holding company behind the National Association of General Practitioners is to go into voluntary liquidation
GP association in talks with Unite as holding company is wound up

National Association of General Practitioners has been in turmoil over governance issues

Protesters at Leinster House, Dublin in February called for the HSE to approve Spinraza for children who have spinal muscular atrophy. Photograph: Gareth Chaney/Collins
HSE drugs group decides against approving drug for rare muscle-wasting disease

Spinraza is only treatment available for those with spinal muscular atrophy

HSE director general Paul Reid: said the independent review of emergency department would reveal a lot about which parts of the country have better processes. Photograph: Cyril Byrne
Numbers of repeat appointments to be cut, committee hears

Newly-appointed HSE chief announces review of nine emergency departments

Minister for Health Simon Harris will tell the Oireachtas health committee he is committed to addressing the concerns of medical professionals in relation to the judgment in the Ruth Morrissey cervical cancer case
HSE chief orders review of hospital emergency departments

Expert group to examine capacity, bed utilisation, manpower and staffing issues

Dr Michael O’Connell will be the 32nd Master of the Coombe Hospital, which will celebrate its bi-centenary in 2026.
New master of the Coombe will be Dr Michael O’Connell

Masters of all three Dublin maternity hospitals will soon be men following latest appointment

Experts in genetics and foetal medicine are expected to be involved in a review of the National Maternity Hospital. File photograph: Bryan O’Brien/The Irish Times
Experts to be involved in Holles Street termination review

Patient's pregnancy terminated on basis of test result suggesting fatal foetal anomaly

Vera Twomey touching the gates of Leinster House after her marathon walk in March 2017 in support of her campaign for her daughter Ava Barry. Photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish Times
'A life free of pain': Cannabis campaigner rejoins the battle

Vera Twomey says she fought for two years to get medicinal cannabis for daughter Ava Barry

Researchers from Shanghai University’s school of medicine set out to investigate if there was evidence to support improvement of anxiety symptoms by regulating intestinal microbiota. Photograph: iStock
Anxiety may be alleviated by changing gut bacteria, study claims

Research indicates that gut microbiota can help regulate brain function

The couple claims they were told there was no need for them to wait for a second test result before proceeding with a termination. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien / The Irish Times
Couple claims key documents were omitted from hospital file

Complaint to be made to Data Protection Commissioner about National Maternity Hospital

Plants at a medical cannabis company in Israel. Photograph: Amir Cohen/File Photo/Reuters
Ireland ‘sleepwalking’ into liberal cannabis regime, warn doctors

Campaigners say medicinal cannabis being used as ‘Trojan horse’ towards legalisation

The couple say they were told there was “no hope” and that the next stage of testing “would make no difference”. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien/The Irish Times
Hospital said one test result was enough before termination, says couple

Controversy continues over National Maternity Hospital treatment as second test showed no fatal foetal anomaly

Prof Fergal Malone, Rotunda Hospital master: because the rapid test can give a false positive if there is no ultrasound abnormality most laboratories recommend to wait for the full two weeks.
Single diagnostic test is standard practice, says National Maternity Hospital

Simon Harris wants external review in case of wrong finding of fatal foetal anomaly

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the couple involved had “lost a very wanted child”. Photograph: Tommy Dickson/INPHO
Couple at centre of abortion case enduring ‘individual tragedy’ - Taoiseach

Independent review to focus on termination carried out for fatal foetal abnormality reasons

On the basis of results from tests carried out, the couple opted for a termination, which was carried out in Holles Street two months ago. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien/The Irish Times
National Maternity Hospital orders review into abortion

Independent review focuses on termination carried out for fatal foetal abnormality reasons

Many of those who live in mental health units are vulnerable and elderly, have poor communication abilities and are at high risk of heart disease. Photograph: Getty
Rights of many with mental illness being breached, report claims

Commission finds denial of physical healthcare to patients may cause 3,000 to die a year

The number of Irish babies born with low birth wieght is rising at a rate exceeded only by Czechia among higher income countries. Photograph: iStock
Number of Irish babies born with low birth weight on the rise

Proportion of babies with low birth weight grew from 4.9% in 2000 to 5.9% in 2015

‘The dental profession in Ireland is unable to assure patients that they are receiving the safe and contemporary standard of care they expect.’ Photograph: iStock
Ireland ‘losing dentists’ over lack of specialist training

Dentists training to become specialists forced abroad, many never to return, says RCSI

Kerry TD Danny Healy-Rae has called for a fuller investigation into the matter. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times
Kerry hospital says seven patients whose scans were misread have died

Review of more than 46,000 tests found 11 patients suffered delayed cancer diagnosis

Ireland has been spending ‘like drunken sailors’ on healthcare over the past 20 years but has very little to show for it, a conference on patient rights has been told. Image: iStock.
Ireland ‘unbelievably incompetent’ at managing health spending

Academic says State has thrown money at issue like ‘drunken sailors’ in recent years

Ruth Morrissey and her husband Paul speaking outside Dublin’s High Court last week. Photograph: Michelle Devane/PA
Screening services should not be paused after High Court ruling - Harris

Doctors concerned over ‘absolute confidence’ expectation following Ruth Morrissey case

Ruth Morrissey and her husband, Paul, outside the Four Courts at the conclusion of her case. Parties normally have 10 days to lodge an appeal, but this has been shortened in view of Ms Morrissey’s terminal illness. Photograph: Dave Meehan
Health chiefs concerned screening could ‘grind to a halt’

Crisis meeting hears urgent call for clarity in the wake of Ruth Morrissey legal judgment

Almost 131,000 patients are waiting for scans under the HSE’s national integrated medical imaging system (NIMIS) of electronically stored images. A further 34,000 patients are waiting on a non-NIMIS list. Photograph: Getty Images
More than 165,000 patients on waiting lists for ultrasounds, CT scans and MRIs

Over 25,000 patients waiting for diagnostic tests have been on the list for more than 12 months

Ruth Morrissey and her husband Paul outside the Four Courts at the conclusion of her case.Photograph: Dave Meehan
Screening programmes ‘threatened’ after Morrissey case, radiologists warn

Concerned the standard of ‘absolute confidence’ mentioned in judgment ‘impossible to attain’

Ruth Morrissey and her husband Paul outside Dublin’s High Court last week after winning her court case over misreadings of her cervical smear tests. Photograph: Michelle Devane/PA Wire
US lab to appeal cancer decision awarding Ruth Morrissey €2.1m

HSE also considering appeal due to concerns over wider implications of case

Adrienne Cullen: Report described Ms Cullen’s treatment at UMC Utrecht as a ‘calamity’.
Dutch hospital chief apologises to Cluskey for ‘scapegoat’ remark

Widower of Adrienne Cullen called for chief to resign over his wife’s death

The late Adrienne Cullen, whose pathology results were lost by the hospital for two years
Dutch hospital that missed Irish woman’s cancer announces changes

UMC Utrecht introduces new safety checks after review unearthed further shortcomings

Adrienne Cullen: The report details two significant opportunities the hospital missed to spot her cancer at an early stage when she first attended in 2011. Photograph: Judith Jockel
Hospital’s failures reduced Irish woman’s chances of survival, report finds

Failure to diagnose Adrienne Cullen’s cervical cancer led to calamitous delay in treatment

More than half of Irish men binge drink once a month, study finds

Alcohol intake in Ireland has increased since 2010 despite falling in many western countries

Chief executive of Cork University Hospital Tony McNamara said he is departing with sadness to ‘accept other opportunities in the private sector’. File photograph: Provision
Head of Cork University Hospital to move to private sector

Chief executive Tony McNamara leaves hospital after 27 years

Private nursing homes have been criticised for “top-up” fees for social and occupational therapy programmes, with claims some charge for wound dressings, prescription painkillers and bedsore creams. Photograph: John Stillwell/PA
Nursing homes warned about imposing unfair terms on residents

Consumer watchdog to issue guidelines on potentially unfair clauses in contracts of care

Johan Verbruggen in his office in Galway. ‘I suppose it fed into my own concept of justice, that I was never given an apology.’ Photograph: Joe O’Shaughnessy
The medical negligence victim turned negligence solicitor

Johan Verbruggen, who has Erb’s palsy, says his parents ‘were told it was their own fault’

GPs called on Minister for Health Simon Harris to provide ‘safe access zones’ around doctors’ surgeries. Photograph: Thinkstock
GPs call for ‘safe access zones’ for patients attending doctors

Zones needed to protect doctors and patients from protesters, says Irish council for GPs

There were 13 deaths in Ireland associated with meningococcal disease last year, according to the HSE. Photograph: David Cheskin/PA Wire
New meningitis vaccine to be provided to thousands of teenagers

First-year students to receive new vaccine from next autumn following rise in cases

About 15 per cent of samples will test positive for HPV and these will be prioritised for examination under the microscope. Photograph: iStock
MedLab to stop accepting new smears in bid to clear backlog

HSE to have new smears tested abroad as CervicalCheck agrees HPV testing with MedLab

Minister for Health Simon Harris has suggested mandatory vaccination could be introduced as a way of boosting immunisation rates. Photograph: Getty Images
Number of cases of mumps reported so far this year passes 1,000

Twice as many mumps cases have been reported this year as were recorded in the whole of 2018

Irish Red Cross volunteer inmates at the Community Based Health in Detention Workshop at the Midlands Prison in Portlaoise. Photograph: James Forde
Pioneering prison health scheme credited with reduction in knife attacks

Irish Red Cross programme seen as model for peer-to-peer education among prisoners

Vicky Phelan arrives at the Department of the Taoiseach in Dublin for a meeting with Leo Varadkar to raise concerns about the Government’s handling of the CervicalCheck scandal.
Vicky Phelan criticises Varadkar for ‘unacceptable delays’

Phelan accuses Government of using Brexit as an excuse for not fulfilling promises

Vicky Phelan was awarded €2.5 million against a US testing lab over the alleged misreading of her smear tests under the CervicalCheck programme. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times
Vicky Phelan: ‘Here I am a year later, still trying to get answers’

The campaigner on seeking accountability and reform after the CervicalCheck crisis

Before 2009 primary care centres were delivered by traditional public procurement, but since then private delivery methods have been prioritised. Photograph: Getty Images
Private sector increasingly dominating network of primary care centres

Study finds global investors have entered the Irish primary care centre market ‘because it offers relatively high profit opportuni(...)

Many took the good weather as the perfect opportunity to head to the beaches, such as Portmarknock in Dublin. Photograph: Tom Honan/The Irish Times
Weather set to change with rainfall, lower temperatures forecast

Northern Ireland records warmest ever Easter at 21.4 degrees in Armagh

Cricket Ireland said it experienced ‘significant cash flow constraints’ last year after incurring losses when Ireland’s first test match against Pakistan was rained out. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw
Cricket Ireland confirms €100,000 short-term loan from chief executive

Money was given against advice of Sport Ireland to pay wages and ease cash flow crisis

The HSE estimates there are 100 to 200 cases of Lyme disease a year in Ireland but patient groups and some doctors say this is too low
Bug that causes relapsing fever identified in tick collected in Ireland

The Borrelia pathogen is distantly related to the bacteria that cause Lyme disease

Girl (8) dead and boy (11) seriously injured after crash in Co Galway

Children out cycling near their home in Ballinasloe when they were hit by a car

The cost to the State of replicating the move could be as high as €500 million over five years, estimates Prof Michael Barry, clinical director of the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics. Photograph: PA Wire
New cancer drugs could cost State €500m

Number of indications covered by VHI initiative now 13, not three as had been thought

Opposition politicians joined families of children with spinal muscular atrophy who are seeking access to a new drug, Spinraza, in a march to Leinster House in February. Photograph: Paul Cullen
Price drop prompts HSE to reconsider funding drug for muscle disease

Decision on funding Spinraza to treat spinal muscular atrophy expected in May

The doctors say they “profoundly regret” the waiting times for patients but go on to argue UHL is under-resourced compared to other hospitals.
University Hospital Limerick doctors say ‘unacceptable’ numbers waiting for beds

Doctors claim Beaumont has 31% more staff and 39% more beds than UHL in open letter

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