Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am a bit disappointed that Senator Boyhan jumped the gun on the Lough Funshinagh issue considering that Senator Dolan and I have led on that. Thanks to the Leader we will have a very good debate on the matter coming up shortly. When it comes to the debate I hope the first two speakers will be Senator Dolan coming from Ballinasloe and me coming from Roscommon.

I support the comments made by Senator Eileen Flynn on what has been happening to the Ministers, Deputies McEntee and O'Gorman, and to our former Taoiseach, Deputy Leo Varadkar. What was done to him recently outside a coffee shop is absolutely shocking and deplorable. It is only right that we show our support for those three people here today.

A situation has arisen, which was discussed at a public meeting I attended last night in Williamstown on the Roscommon-Galway border. The area is losing its very much loved GP after 13 years in the community where he was just a brilliant doctor. He is moving on with life and he is moving to a different part of the country. He is entitled to that. A locum position has been advertised but the first time it was put out the HSE received only one reply, and I am told the person did not turn up for the interview. The HSE has advertised the position for a second time and there is not much interest in it. This will affect some 1,000 patients. There were about 80 people at the public meeting last night.People who might have to change tablets from week to week, and this does happen, are concerned that their doctor being gone from the local health centre will perhaps mean they will have to travel out farther and this is going to be a real inconvenience. This situation worries them from a health perspective. I am asking that the Minister for Health or, since he is often very busy, some of the Ministers of State in his Department would come before the House to address this issue. Again, this is an important issue for the community around Williamstown. The further benefit of getting a locum in there would be to allow some patients from other doctors, who are located not too far away and who are overworked, to be treated as well. This is my request. I thank the Cathaoirleach and the Leader.