John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have a question in the same vein. Again, it concerns payment from hospitals. It is something I came across and I believe it is unfair, and that is why I am raising it here. I received correspondence in relation to an issue to do with the payment for a bed and breakfast, which is a service that is widely used by hospitals when consultants visit and need to be kept. A lady came to me because she was not paid. The reply from the hospital, St. Luke's, was on 6 May 2015. The lady issued a letter of response clarifying all the points raised by the hospital in relation to the payment on this account. I asked a parliamentary question and followed up with letters on 14 July, 20 August and 22 September. None of those letters has been replied to by the hospital. What I find mean about it is that not only was the bed and breakfast in question not paid when it raised the question of the outstanding invoice based on the belief that it was properly booked because the person in question was familiar with how it is booked and has worked closely with the HSE, the business went in the direction outlined. Therefore, the bed and breakfast lady was penalised twice for raising the query. On top of that, everyone heads to a solicitor. Owing to what is involved here and the facts, which are so clear — I will give the letter and details to the officials — this kind of issue, while it concerns a hospital, the HSE and a consultant, needs to be sorted out more easily.