Opposition party calls on government to purchase spaces in private hospitals

Sinn Féin has urged the government to purchase spaces in private hospitals to alleviate long waiting lists.

The announcement followed a statement from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) said today that 693 admitted patients are waiting for beds this morning.

The INMO also said that 563 patients are waiting in the emergency department, while 130 are in wards elsewhere in the hospital.

Sinn Féin Health Spokesperson David Cullinane has said if Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly 'is serious' about addressing the problem, he would purchase beds in the private sector.

The Waterford TD told Newstalk radio station: "The Minister needs to do everything possible to maximise capacity for public patients, and if that means utilising the private healthcare sector over the next number of months, that should be done."

He also said that he 'warned against this last year', when the Minister presented his Budget for 2022.

Mr Cullinane added: "I said at the time that the plan for this winter was last year's budget, and in last year's budget there wasn't one single additional bed funded beyond previous commitments."

"Outside of hospitals, what's also driving people into emergency departments is a lack of community care, the fact people are waiting longer to see GPs."

Mr Cullinane also maintained that out-of-hours GP care 'isn't what it should be in most areas': "In fact in some areas it's non-existent," he said.

Last week, David Cullinane TD pointed out that, in April, Ireland will have the 'single biggest transformation' of free GP care in the history of the State, with the extension of the service to 400,000 people.

He also suggested that this extension was 'a plan without an engine.'