‘The Emergency Department at LUH is not fit for purpose’
Councillor Gerry McMonagle sounded the alarm at the HSE Regional Health Forum regarding the situation at Letterkenny University Hospital
A rise of more than 3,000 patient presentations at Letterkenny University Hospital's (LUH) Emergency Department has sparked fresh concerns as winter approaches.
According to the HSE, LUH Emergency Department activity has been consistently higher throughout 2026 than in 2025. Between January and August, attendances rose by 9%, adding 3,203 patient presentations.
“The Emergency Department we are working with at LUH is not fit for purpose,” Sinn Féin councillor Gerry McMonagle said at the HSE Regional Health Forum. “It is far, far too small, and I don’t know if we can wait much longer.
“I was up there recently with family members who waited for almost 18 hours before they got a bed, and it was in the ED itself. They were there for three days before they got into a ward, and it is just not good.”
LUH has implemented measures to prepare for the anticipated increase in attendances and admissions during the forthcoming winter. A new Development Control Plan (DCP) will set out the short- and medium-term development strategy for services, including the hospital’s Emergency Department and Minor Injuries Unit.
The Frailty Intervention Team (FIT), based within a protected area in the Emergency Department, provides rapid assessment and intervention for older patients, helping to avoid unnecessary admissions where appropriate.
The modular unit to support the management of ambulatory patients became operational in August. A “Purple Pathway” / Minor Injury Pathway is in place to provide an ambulatory stream, and it represented approximately 14.9% of all Emergency Department attendances.
“I understand we have a DCP in place and more funding is coming for a bigger Emergency Department, but it is not out of the ordinary to describe it as a war zone at times,” Cllr McMonagle continued. “I feel for the staff who have to deal with these increased numbers and the issues that come along.
“With all that is being put in place, we are still experiencing delays in getting beds, people on trolleys, overcrowding, and it is only going to get worse,” Cllr McMonagle said.
“We see all these initiatives, such as the Purple Pathway and Frailty Intervention Team, but are we increasing staff? The staff at the Emergency Department must be truly burned out at this stage. This is not a winter problem anymore; it is in it at all times.”
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