A horrified wife has spoken out about her experience at University Hospital Limerick when her husband was brought in by ambulance.
Emily Kearns, who is in her 50s, was appalled by the conditions, describing the facility as “worse than a cattle market”.
In a photo which has been shared to the Irish Mirror, eight patients are lying on trolleys with just inches between them.
Mrs Kearns said: “The conditions are horrendous, not only for patients but also staff.
“If I walked around to the corner of the building, there’s rat traps. That’s what people are facing.
“On the way into the hospital with my son he said, ‘What’s that?’ It’s a rat trap.
“My husband is the only one in a trolley who is not elderly. There is no privacy and no dignity.
“We’re beside a woman who is 91 and there isn’t room for families to stay.
“The staff are extremely embarrassed, saying they’re sorry but if you need a wee, here’s a bottle.”
Emily also claimed the hospital is a fire hazard.
She added: “There’s no space in between beds, less than 16 inches between each one.
“My husband’s back is in spasm so he physically can’t move.
“If there’s a fire my husband’s a goner. They won’t be able to get his trolley out, it’ll be chaos.
“I haven’t moved from my husband because the staff are so busy, I feel safer being by his side.”
University Hospital Limerick were contacted for a statement.
Meanwhile, 500 patients were waiting for beds in Irish hospitals yesterday, INMO Trolley Watch revealed. The worst hit was University Hospital Limerick with 55 people left without a bed.
