84 nursing posts shortfall at Mayo Hospital ‘a disgrace,’ says local councillor

The ongoing shortage of nursing staff at Mayo University Hospital (MUH) has been labelled "a disgrace" by Independent Councillor Harry Barrett, who called out the government’s handling of the crisis during a public address this week.

Barrett, a recently elected representative for Castlebar, expressed solidarity with healthcare workers while calling for immediate government action to address the critical situation at the hospital.

“There are 84 nursing posts outstanding in Mayo University Hospital, and that is leading to burnt-out staff and unsafe practices,” Barrett stated. "This level of shortfall is nothing other than a disgrace."

Barrett’s comments come amid mounting concern over the state of healthcare in the region, with hospital staff reporting overwhelming workloads, overcrowded wards, and inadequate resources.

He argued that the current staffing crisis places not only nurses and midwives under immense pressure but also jeopardises patient safety.

"Our nurses, midwives, and healthcare workers have had enough. And we stand with them because they are fighting not just for themselves, but for every one of us," the councillor said.

"Every person in this community, every child, every parent, every pregnant woman who walks through those hospital doors in need of urgent care deserves nothing less than a safe, well-resourced environment. But right now, that’s not what we’re getting."

According to Barrett, the staffing shortfall at MUH is the result of a "broken recruitment policy" within the Health Service Executive (HSE), which has led to severe overcrowding and inadequate patient care.

“When you don’t have the resources, lives are put at risk,” he remarked. "That's not just unacceptable—it's a crisis, a crisis created by years of neglect and underfunding by our government."