Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)

I am pleased to support the motion and compliment my colleagues in the Technical Group on bringing it forward. The Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, promised much as an Opposition spokesman. He travelled around the country, including to Clonmel hospital in my constituency, promising that everything would be fine. I sat with the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, on various committees in the last Dáil. I cannot believe the transformation in her. We had a difficult time in meeting her to discuss the situation at St. Michael's Hospital in Clonmel. Deputy Mick Wallace referred to St. Senan's Hospital in Wexford which the Minister of State promised would work out fine because patients would be accommodated in Waterford. She promised on that occasion that she would take us by bus to see the facility in Waterford. She promised she would take us to see facilities in the west. They were empty promises because that was two months ago. She told us something else which I will not describe but the Minister of State knows what I am talking about. She is trying to close a perfect facility in Clonmel. She pinched the patients.

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