Tag Archives: University of Limerick

THE new €19.5 million 60-bed block modular unit to tackle overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) will be fully operational almost two months after a recent predicted timeframe given by a government minister. Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People, Mary Butler stated in the Seanad recently “from a construction perspective, the new ward block should be ready to be operational by Monday, November 9”. However, it has now been confirmed the long-awaited modular unit will come on stream in three distinct phases, starting with 20 beds next Monday and will not be fully operational until January. Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has told Deputy Cathal Crowe a new 20-bed ward, which is part of the 60-bed unit will open next Monday, this will be followed by a further 20 in December and the final 20 will be up and running in January. “A state-of-the-art facility will be in place at UHL now, and the timing couldn’t be better …

WITH the country now under further Covid-19 restrictions, a University of Limerick study has been examining the effect that lockdown can have on the mental health of children and adolescents. Covid-19 has caused major disruptions to the lives of families, through social distancing measures, school closures and lockdown, all of which threaten the wellbeing of young people and their families. Researchers at UL have been exploring the specific impact of one month in lockdown on the mental health of children and adolescents. The study, entitled Co-SPACE (Covid-19 Supporting Parents, Adolescents and Children during Epidemics) is led by Dr Jennifer McMahon and a team of researchers at UL. It is linked to a study of the same name in the UK led by Professor Cathy Creswell and Dr Polly Waite of the Department of Psychiatry and Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford. “Increasingly researchers and practitioners are concerned about the effects of strict restrictions, such as those experienced from March to June, …

OGONNOLLOE twin brothers had reasons for a double celebration earlier this week when they achieved outstanding results in their Leaving Certificate exams. Oisín McKeogh scooped the highest possible marks of 625 in the Leaving Certificate while his brother, Cathal secured 532. The two brothers attend St Anne’s Community College in Killaloe. Oisín hopes to study film and television production in the Institute of Art, Design and Technology in Dun Laoghaire, which is a four-year undergraduate degree, subject to his Leaving Certificate results. The young film maker is very passionate about making films and is eagerly looking forward to honing his craft in Dublin. Acknowledging that securing accommodation in Dublin is quite expensive and will be challenging, he is nevertheless eager to take on the next steps in his academic career. It looks like Cathal will be in college much closer to home as he hopes to study Biological and Chemical Science in the University of Limerick. “I was very happy …

A €10.5m European project that aims to transform both environmental and human health is to be led by University of Limerick. Details of the Go Green Routes project, which has almost 40 different stakeholders, were announced at a virtual launch hosted by UL today, Monday. The four-year project, which applies visionary and integrated solutions to improve health in cities, will commence in September, coordinated by the Health Research Institute at UL. The overall objective is to position European cities as world ambassadors of urban sustainability. It will take Covid-19 into consideration and will evaluate the impact of reduced air pollution during lockdown and its aftermath, as well as the impact on mental health of urban citizens and their views on re-greening their cities. “Evidence is emerging that people flocked to green spaces during lockdown for mental health, physical activity and connectivity with their communities,” said Dr Tadhg MacIntyre, a lecturer in psychology at UL and coordinator of the Go Green …

The first ever woman president of an Irish university has been appointed at University of Limerick. Professor Kerstin Mey, the current Vice President Academic Affairs and Student Engagement at UL, will replace outgoing president Dr Des Fitzgerald, who will leave his position on September 1, on an interim basis. The Interim President will serve as Chief Officer of the University until the appointment of a new President through an open international recruitment process, which is expected to take up to 18 months once commenced. The UL Governing Authority ratified the appointment of Professor Mey following a special meeting last Thursday. Chancellor of UL’s Governing Authority, Mary Harney said Interim President Mey would be a “great appointee and one in whom we have every faith in to lead the University at a challenging time. She has already demonstrated her capacity for leadership in her role as Vice President. “There has long been a significant gender imbalance at the senior leadership level …

UP to 25 patients will be brought to a new Intermediate Care Facility (ICF) in the University of Limerick (UL) Sports Arena in its first week of operation thanks to a unique collaboration between UL and the UL Hospitals’ Group. Constructed at a cost of €1 million, all the equipment for the new field hospital in UL was provided by the HSE and all of its contains including the floor are reusable elsewhere. The ICF is a fully staffed and fully equipped Model One hospital facility that will provide rehabilation care for non-Covid patients who are discharged from acute public hospitals in the region. The 68-bed facility, with capacity to scale up to 84 beds, is fitted out with a typical ward support accommodation such as clean and dirty utilities, pharmacy, pantry, staff change, clinical treatment areas, two recreation areas, and four enclosed rooms. It is expected that up to 50 patients will be treated at peak demand with capacity …

THE provision of a new field hospital in the University of Limerick has been described as “amazing” by a local social worker. Medical staff from Clare and the Mid-West will pool their expertise to operate the new intermediate care facility. Joanne Hayes Inch outside Ennis is a medical social worker who will be working in UL as part of a multidisciplinary team with occupational therapists, physiotherapists and speech and language therapists. She will play a key role in the safe discharge process of a patient to a step down facility or their own home. Having met the patient, she will discuss their admission, experience in the facility and establish if they have any additional medical needs that need to be addressed when they are discharged at home. She will discuss the patient’s needs with their family and organise community supports, if they are deemed necessary. For the last four years, she has worked in the ED, rehabilitation of stroke patients …

Jessica Quinn A REFUND of accommodation fees for University of Limerick students has been recommended by the university’s governing authority. This is welcome news for students, many from Clare, who had been forced to give up their campus accommodation after the Covid-19 crisis broke. A spokesperson for the University of Limerick has confirmed, “The University of Limerick Governing Authority has today (Tuesday) given a recommendation that UL subsidiary Plassey Campus Centre Ltd (PCC), which manages the student residences on campus, return rental income to the students who left their accommodation on foot of the government’s decision to close the university campus in March.” UL’s Governing Authority held a Special Meeting on Tuesday during which the refund of student rents was discussed. Plassey Campus Centre Ltd (PCC) is the licensor and a separate legal entity to the University, with the issue a matter for decision by PCC and not the Governing Authority. “Nonetheless, as PCC sought the views of Governing Authority …