'Critical incident will happen at Mayo hospital if action not taken' -Barrett

Seven ambulances were backed up outside Mayo University Hospital last night, many of their drivers staying the night because they were unable to discharge their patients into the emergency department.

The extra ward used to take the overflow worked through the night, and today we will still have a critical number of sick patients still left on trolleys.

"We are now getting closer to a critical incident in Mayo University Hospital," local independent Councillor Harry Barrett, has hit out,

"I am again calling on Mayo University Hospital to put an emergency plan in place immediately to deal with the shocking number of people waiting on trolleys in the Accident and Emergency Department.

"Right now, over 30 people—many of them elderly and very sick—are waiting for care in conditions that are completely unacceptable.

"These are our family members, friends, and neighbours. They are stuck for hours on end in a noisy, bright, and overcrowded emergency room.

"It’s not just uncomfortable—it’s unsafe. People deserve better than this, especially when they’re at their most vulnerable.

"The situation has reached crisis levels. Hospital management needs to act now and put a Surge Plan in place.

"This isn’t something we can wait around for.

"The system is clearly overwhelmed, and immediate measures are needed to reduce the pressure and make sure patients are cared for properly.

"I’m calling on hospital management, the HSE, and everyone involved to step up and fix this before it gets any worse.

"We need more beds, more staff, and faster solutions to get patients out of trolleys and into proper care.

"This is about basic human dignity. People in Mayo deserve a hospital system they can trust to take care of them when they’re sick. Right now, that trust is being tested."