Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman. Yesterday, there were 42 patients on trolleys in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda. It was the second highest number in the country. What plans are in place to reduce these numbers? The Minister monitors the trolley situation on a daily basis, but the problem in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital is serious.

At the beginning of April, the Minister's Department approved additional funding of €74 million to reduce delays in discharges. That was welcome. Some €44 million was provided for the fair deal scheme, which the Minister stated would result in an additional 1,600 places, and €30 million was allocated to provide 250 rehabilitative beds in community and district hospitals. I welcome the decrease in the fair deal waiting list from 11 weeks to an average of four weeks. I am pleased to see that County Louth's two hospitals - Our Lady of Lourdes and Louth County Hospital - are working closely together, sharing facilities and opening up roads to help alleviate the problem at the former. We must see some kind of improvement in the trolley situation at Drogheda. I have spoken to patients and doctors. All reports are that the services and staff are good, but that they need more beds.

I am delighted that the issue of obesity will be addressed in the same stance as tobacco and alcohol. "Obesity" is the medical term used to describe the state of being overweight and in bad health. Obesity is a timebomb that is ready to explode. Nearly two thirds of us are obese or overweight. It is putting our children at risk. We lack self-awareness of body size. It is costing us millions of euro and increasing the risk of cancers, including bowel, kidney, womb and breast to name but a few. It is causing heart and diabetes problems, damaging our joints and increasing the likelihood of developing varicose veins. It gives one a sense of being unattractive and reduces one's self-confidence. I plead with the Minister to intervene in the obesity issue. I am the committee's rapporteur on obesity. We will do anything to help.

The situation is getting out of control. Ireland's is one of the worst in Europe, perhaps even in the world. This is an important issue. In fairness to the Minister, he has done a fantastic job since entering office. I like that he is open, honest and says things like he sees them. The situation is very serious. For the past four or five years, all I have seen is people promising, promising and promising. Deputy Varadkar is the type of Minister who does not make false promises. I ask him for a full commitment to help combat obesity.