100 signatures reached
To: Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD
Support Recovery in the Midlands: Detox Beds at Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise
Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD, people across the Midlands are being put at risk because Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise has no dedicated detoxification beds. When someone seeks help for serious alcohol or drug dependence, they are often left in overcrowded emergency departments or sent home to unsafe situations. Families are watching loved ones struggle without access to proper medical care at the moment it is most needed. We are calling on you to establish three medically supervised detox beds with seven-day access and clear pathways into addiction and recovery services. This is a small, practical step that could save lives, support families, and give people in the Midlands a real chance at recovery.
Why is this important?
When people in the Midlands ask for help with serious alcohol or drug dependence, there is often nowhere safe for them to go. Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise has no dedicated detoxification beds, meaning people can be left in overcrowded emergency departments or sent home to unsafe situations where withdrawal can be life-threatening.
Laois County Council has already called on the Minister for Health to establish detoxification beds in Portlaoise Hospital. You can get behind this call by signing the petition today
Laois County Council has already called on the Minister for Health to establish detoxification beds in Portlaoise Hospital. You can get behind this call by signing the petition today
This call comes following a motion that was put down by Labour Councillor Marie Tuohy at the request of the ARC Project, a voluntary group supporting those affected by addiction, and their families
Cllr Tuohy asked that three beds for alcohol and drug be set up with seven day admission pathways and integrated links to HSE addictions services and community recovery supports.
Three medically supervised detox beds would save lives, support families, reduce pressure on emergency services, and create a real pathway into recovery. This is a small, practical change — but for many people, it would make all the difference.