Deputy Pearse Doherty has called for urgent action regarding waiting times at Letterkenny University Hospital.
His comments come after patients reported lengthy wait times at Letterkenny’s Emergency Department last week.
In one three day period last week more than 500 patients presented at the Emergency Department.
The Sinn Fein TD said “The situation at LUH is unacceptable, it is failing the people of Donegal and also the staff working in an overcrowded hospital.
“For years myself and my colleague Deputy Pádraig MacLochlainn have been raising the serious issues at LUH including the need for additional capacity and staffing numbers. These calls have fallen on deaf ears of government.
“As a result of their inaction, there is now serious overcrowding and understaffing issues. The crisis for hospitals is no longer confined to just winter or covid spikes, this government has made it a year-round occurrence.
“It was only last week that we heard the representatives of nurses and midwives claim that Letterkenny Hospital needed an additional 60 members of staff. The government can no longer ignore the fact that under their watch the situation has worsened.
“We need immediate action, it is not acceptable that staff and patients are being failed in this way and I intend to raise this with the Minister.
