Independent TD Carol Nolan has said that the extraordinarily high volume of complaints recorded at Beaumont Hospital’s Patient Advocacy and Liaison Service (PALS) in recent years raises profound concerns about patient safety and service capacity.
A total of 13,976 complaints were logged at Beaumont Hospital between 2023 and 2026, the Offaly TD said.
She said the complaint figures released to her through parliamentary questions show that Beaumont received 3,558 complaints in 2023, 4,452 complaints in 2024, 3,916 in 2025, and already 2,050 complaints in the first half of 2026, with more cases escalating to Stage 3 and to the Ombudsman.
“When Beaumont confirms that 64 Offaly residents are attending neurology and epilepsy services, it makes the reasons for my concern absolutely clear. These are Offaly families who have no alternative pathway. They are travelling to Dublin because Beaumont is the national centre. Their experiences, their safety and their outcomes are directly shaped by what is happening inside that hospital,” the Offaly TD said.
“Indeed, the statistical evidence provided to me, unfortunately, aligns with what Offaly families have been telling me privately. I recently spoke with a former Offaly resident, now living in another county, whose son has been attending Beaumont for decades and who described consistent overcrowded clinics, long delays, poor communication between treating doctors, and conditions that have not been fit for purpose for decades,” she said.
“The family also highlighted serious concerns about inpatient care, including inadequate nutrition, missed hydration, falls, neglected hygiene, and the absence of neuropsychology support since 2024 due to recruitment failures.”
Deputy Nolan said these accounts reflect a wider pattern of systemic strain that is now impossible to ignore.
She noted that the National Neuro‑Rehabilitation Strategy remains largely unimplemented, that community neuropsychology services effectively do not exist, and that patients are often discharged early into community supports that are not available.
She also expressed concern that Beaumont has confirmed its Patient Advocacy and Liaison Service has been moved into a significantly reduced space at the very moment when complaints are rising into the thousands.
“To say that the current level of service is less than adequate is an understatement. I will continue to raise this issue with the Minister, the HSE and directly with Beaumont itself,” concluded Deputy Nolan.
Beaumont Hospital were asked for comment, but have not yet responded.