Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister and his officials to the meeting. I, too, want to raise the hospital issues but there are number of points I will make that might support it. On the MRI scanner, I note and welcome that the timeline for provision is pre-Christmas and I take on board that a complementary plan for the better use of associated hospitals in the group will be put in place. There are other issues that need to be addressed, including recruitment of an MS nurse, for which I have been fighting for a year. I have been told that funding is in place, that the position has been advertised but the recruitment has not progressed as it there must be a sign-off at a national level from on high, which ties in with the situation nationally in terms of recruitment. Recruitment will help to address the issue of lengthy periods spent on trolleys and waiting lists for scans.

If there was an MS nurse in place, people would not be taking up hospital beds. The lack of recruitment and an MRI scanner are leading to huge problems in the hospital. All of the problems need to be addressed together. I am interested in hearing the Minister's comments on the plan for the better use of other hospitals associated with the group.