Guarded welcome for approval of Mayo hospital investment
A Mayo TD has welcome the Department of Health’s approval of step one of stage two of the safe staffing framework for Mayo University Hospital’s emergency department.
Deputy Paul Lawless said it is happening after months of relentless lobbying, meetings with senior management, collaboration with frontline staff and direct exchanges in the Dáil.
He outlined: "This long-overdue move will see an increase of 15 whole-time equivalent (WTE) nursing staff and 3.5 WTE healthcare assistants, with offers already issued to six nurses and two HCAs.
"This is not the finish line—it’s the starter pistol. A positive first step, yes, but one taken after far too many laps around the bureaucratic track.
"Let us not forget: this audit sat idle for far too long while dangerously high patient-to-staff ratios became the daily reality.
"On some days, just five nurses were expected to manage an emergency department handling over 160 patients.
"The staff were extraordinary—but no one should have to be extraordinary just to get through a shift.
"This wasn’t just a strain—it was a warning siren the system chose to ignore, a system that abuses it's heroes on the front line.
"We should not have to shout to be heard. We should not have to fight for what is fair. But shout we did, and fight we must—because silence in the face of suffering is not an option.
"This progress is the result of tireless work—not just from me, but from the nurses who skipped breaks, the doctors who carried double loads, and the healthcare assistants who held the line. Together, we turned a quiet crisis into a public priority.
"The minister herself acknowledged the 'chronic' levels of understaffing. That admission should have sparked action long ago. But admissions don’t heal patients—staffing does.
"We welcome this implementation, but we must not lose sight of the bigger picture. This is a first step, and we must keep the pressure on until the full safe staffing framework is rolled out across all departments.
"The people of Mayo deserve safe, timely, and dignified care—not just on paper, but in practice.
"Let this be the beginning—not the end—of a better chapter for Mayo University Hospital."