Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Last week on Leaders' Questions the Tánaiste expressed exasperation at what he sees as a false narrative I am laying concerning his support for Waterford and the south east. He mentioned University Hospital Waterford so I will put some figures on the record. The current staffing level at the hospital is 2,800 whole-time equivalents. Its peer model 4 hospitals of Limerick, Cork, Galway and St. Vincent's average 4,850. There head count at Waterford hospital is 2,000 less. The budgets for Limerick, Galway, Cork and St. Vincent's average €400 million per annum while that for University Hospital Waterford is €290 million. That is €110 million less. The hospital last year had the busiest emergency department in the country, yet no emergency staff were added to the cohort there. It has one of the largest patient catchments nationally. Despite that and its low employment numbers, it was subject to the recruitment embargo and the HSE has announced in the latest round of 2,600 additional staff that the hospital has been allocated just 40 additional posts. On top of that, the cardiac review has not reported and the seven-day service has been postponed and will not start before October.

See this speech in context