Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The HSE and Department of Health became aware of these beds not being open when we put out a call to the system asking if there were any more beds around the country that could be opened. It is inexcusable that 15 beds in St. John's hospital were not open during a crisis in bed capacity in the UHL hospital group. I also find it inexcusable that doctors from the acute hospital are not willing to go to some of the smaller hospitals such as St. John's. I referred to those two issues when speaking with Deputy Kelly earlier. The process needs to be fixed and there needs to be management accountability. We saw this on television last night and on the front page of a newspaper in recent days. As soon as the proposal came in for the 15 beds, we wrote the cheque.