Protests to highlight A&E overcrowding

Protests at continued overcrowding at A&E units in the State's hospitals will take place at Beaumont Hospital and the Mater…

Protests at continued overcrowding at A&E units in the State's hospitals will take place at Beaumont Hospital and the Mater today.

The Labour Party will protest outside both units and party senator Derek McDowell insisted the hospital was too small to be coping with such a huge part of the capital.

"Beaumont Hospital is in the heart of my constituency, yet its catchment area is practically the entire northside of Dublin," he said.

"As such, it is one of the busiest hospitals in the country. Yet, its A&E Department suffers serious overcrowding, with patients often having to wait hours for treatment and then find themselves being treated on hospital trolleys."

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The Irish Nurses Organisation has also been campaigning against the overcrowding through their own `Enough is Enough' protests.

The INO trolley watch for Friday revealed that more than 300 people were lying waiting for beds in hospitals around the country. The worst affected were Tallaght, Wexford, Cavan and Cork.

Joe Costello, Labour Party spokesman said: "Mary Harney has been the Minister for Health for 16 months.

"Fixing the crisis in our A&E departments was to be her priority when she took office, but these figures tell us that she has still not made any significant progress."

Mr McDowell said the Labour Party wanted to express solidarity with staff and patients who have to suffer such intolerable situations.

"After almost nine years of Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats during a

period of unprecedented economic growth, the state of our hospitals is a national shame," he said.

"I call on all members of the public to join myself, Labour Party TDs Sean Ryan, Tommy Broughan and Roisin Shortall, at Beaumont Hospital at lunchtime to protest at these shocking conditions."

PA