Campaigners Demand New Hospital for Clare Amid Rising Emergency Cases

A group advocating for the establishment of a new hospital in Clare is escalating its efforts to bring attention to the urgent healthcare needs of the region. The Friends of Ennis Hospital group has announced plans to engage directly with Limerick TD and Minister for State, Patrick O’Donovan, if he does not visit West Clare himself. The campaign aims to address the long travel distances seriously ill patients must endure for emergency treatment.

Recent data from the Health Service Executive (HSE) reveals that University Hospital Limerick (UHL) set a record in 2025, with 95,373 patients attending its emergency department, making it the busiest in the country. This figure marks an increase of 8,000 patients from the previous year, underscoring the ongoing pressure faced by medical staff at the facility.

The Friends of Ennis Hospital welcomed the government’s decision to explore three options proposed by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) for improving emergency healthcare in the Mid West. These options include expanding operations onsite at UHL (Option A), establishing an offsite campus (Option B), and constructing a new Model 3 hospital with an accompanying emergency department in the region (Option C).

“We firmly believe that the Option B campus needs to be located in Clare,” said a spokesperson for the group. They expressed disappointment in Minister O’Donovan’s recent comments on local radio, where he suggested that representatives should not advocate for specific sites. The spokesperson reminded the Minister that many residents do not have the convenience of living within 50 km of an acute hospital.

The group highlighted that over 30,000 people from Clare are compelled to seek emergency care outside the county each year. “This includes numerous crossroads that the Minister has likely never traveled,” the spokesperson added.

The campaigners remain steadfast in their commitment to securing a hospital for Clare. They plan to take their message directly to the Minister over the coming weeks, stating, “If the Minister for Health is not interested in accepting our invitation to visit West Clare, we will bring West Clare to the Minister.”

As the healthcare needs of the region continue to grow, the Friends of Ennis Hospital group is determined to ensure that the voices of Clare residents are heard in the corridors of power. The rising attendance figures at UHL paint a clear picture of the urgent need for improved healthcare facilities in the area, as the group looks forward with apprehension to the future of emergency care in Clare.