Emergency department delays reported in Western Australia and Ireland

New data reveals significant delays in emergency departments across Western Australia and Ireland. In Western Australia, Opposition Shadow Health Minister Libby Mettam reported that nearly 600 patients endured stays of more than three days in emergency departments during the first eight months of 2026. Specifically, 187 patients spent between four and six days in these departments—a 108 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2025—while 21 patients stayed longer than six days. Mettam criticized the Labor government, noting that over 16,500 West Australians stayed in emergency departments for more than 24 hours.

In Ireland, figures for Letterkenny University Hospital show that 876 patients spent more than 24 hours awaiting treatment or admission between January and July 2026. Social Democrats spokesperson Pádraig Rice described the situation as a “permanent state of crisis.” Additionally, Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty highlighted that 12,106 patients aged 75 and older spent more than 24 hours in emergency departments nationwide during that same period, representing a nearly 21 per cent increase.