Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. I want to be positive. The staff are under enough pressure. We need definite dates. I am aware that there are two candidates who have not fully come on board, and one is due to take up a position later on this year, which I welcome.

In the spirit of the Higgins report, I appeal to the Minister to ensure South Tipperary General Hospital gets support from its sister hospitals, Waterford Regional Hospital and St. Luke's General Hospital in Kilkenny. As we are in that region, why abandon the recommendations of the Higgins report before they have been fully implemented? We need the support of these hospitals.

As I stated, this is a fully accredited hospital with high standards and high expectations. I know by the Minister's tone of voice that he will support it but I demand that he does because we are only days away from 8 July and the matter is serious. One can imagine the stress. I have spoken to regional management. I spoke to Ms Anna Marie Lanigan and others, who are doing their best, but this is a case in which we cannot do it on our own. We need the help of the Minister and the other hospitals need to be encouraged to allow their staff to be redeployed temporarily until we get the matter sorted out. This must be done now. We cannot allow such a situation with a deadline such as this. It is just too serious. It is a matter of patients' health and safety and, of course, all medical treatments must be available.

As I said, I do not want to see a situation in which gaps are left and we are told it is because the HSE could not recruit the staff. Whatever must be done, whatever ban must be lifted or whatever agency must be recruited or contacted, this is the eleventh hour and we need it to be acted upon. I beg the Minister and hope he delivers. Being a medical professional, he himself understands the situation better than I do.

As I stated, I am committed to the hospital. We all are in South Tipperary. We will support the Minister, but we need him to put his shoulder to the wheel. We need the meitheal spirit of the Higgins report. Hospitals must support each other and stand with each other to fill those posts. When we in Clonmel have to do the same, we will do so.

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