Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein)

Possibly, although I cannot verify that. Had I known the Minister was visiting Sligo, I would have arranged for a number of groups to meet with him, including members of the Save our Cancer Services campaign, the Friends of St. John's Hospital who are fearful of further bed closures and the Friends of St. Patrick's Hospital in Carrick-on-Shannon who are fearful of further public bed closures to the long-stay hospital there.

I understand that the Minister had to travel on to Galway following his meetings in Sligo and Manorhamilton and that he was two hours late arriving in Galway because he had to walk the final mile of his journey owing to traffic delays. The Minister at least now understands what it is like for people required to travel from Donegal, Sligo or south Leitrim to Galway several times a week on a bus for cancer services.

The Minister, Deputy Reilly, when in opposition said all the right things and was elected on that basis. Members of the Save our Cancer Services campaign acknowledge that they canvassed for members of the Government parties on the basis of the solemn promises they made and that they now feel they misled people because those solemn promises have been thrown back in their faces. I wonder if the Minister, when visiting Our Lady's Hospital last Friday, informed staff that it would be announced tomorrow that its day hospital service, which is probably the cheapest, most economical and most valuable service, one which transforms the lives of the people who attend it, is to be reduced from five to three days per week? This is wrong. Many people are not in long-stay homes because of day hospital services. The result of this paring, pinching and pulling back on this economical service will be the return of people to long-stay nursing care or, worse, home but not fit to care for themselves. The home help service has already been reduced and as such there will be no capacity there. This is what we are getting from a Government and Minister who promised so much.

Did the Minister tell the staff of Our Lady's Hospital that a consultant rheumatologist who is going on maternity leave will not be replaced and that this will result in the waiting list for rheumatology services for people in pain suffering from arthritis growing from one to two years? This is not acceptable and the Minister knows it. I urge the Government to accept Sinn Féin's amendment.

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