Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The health service is in a shambles. People have totally lost confidence in the service in County Kerry. There have been no hip replacement or orthopaedic procedures carried out in County Kerry for at least four months. People who need a hip or knee replacement are in significant pain. The ear, nose and throat section of University Hospital Kerry in Tralee is currently closed. People awaiting a hospital appointment in Cork are choking and afraid to sleep at night. Each day 25 patients on trolleys are awaiting attention in University Hospital Kerry. People are waiting to see consultants who are not even there. We have a Taoiseach, a Tánaiste, a Minister for Health, three Ministers of State at the Department of Health and a Government, but we have no proper health service for the people of County Kerry. That is unfair. The Government is allowing the HSE to blackguard the people of County Kerry and not give vulnerable people the service they deserve. Deputy Leo Varadkar is the Taoiseach and ultimately responsible for this situation, but he is doing nothing about it. The health service is failing the people I represent.

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