University Hospital Limerick (UHL) the medical facility serving patients across north Co. Tipperary, was warned that “enforcement action” would be taken by the Limerick Fire Authority, should trolley numbers not be reduced in the hospital’s emergency department.
UHL received this warning back in late March of this year, when it received correspondence that such action would be considered by the Fire Authority should trolley numbers exceed the regarded safe number of 29 patients; latter stated in the Fire Safety Notice issued on December 3rd, 2018.
This previously undisclosed information and warning of enforcement action, was revealed in correspondence between Ms Collette Cowan (UHL CEO) and Mr Michael Ryan (Limerick’s Chief Fire Officer) and published publicly by UHL only yesterday, following requests by journalists under the Freedom of Information Act (FoI).
Questions must now be asked, by our Tipperary elected representatives, as to whether Fine Gael politician and Minister for Health Mr Simon Harris was made fully made aware of this correspondence and why rural patients using this facility were kept in the dark.
If Mr Harris was aware of this enforcement action, surely the now deselected Fine Gael candidate and Wexford business woman Ms Verona Murphy, in her claim, that Health Minister Mr Simon Harris is “one of the worst ministers for health ever”, must be fully vindicated.
Once again, the silence is deafening.
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