Ms Susan Mullins:

The Deputy will see in the report that patients with diabetes and respiratory issues were supposed to go to St. Brigid's. That was the plan. It has never happened. There are some offices that are in the building that staff from Clonmel - I think they are doing works in the hospital in Clonmel and staff had to be moved - are caretaking. There are approximately five people in there but there are no community services as such. Those staff are clerical officers.

As the Deputy was saying earlier, the decision was made. St. Brigid's is an old building. HIQA loves everything to be just so with the i's dotted and t's crossed. St. Brigid's is not just so. It is an old building but it worked for our community, for 11,000 people and all the people who have died and were involved in it. St. Brigid's works. We completely accept a few small issues need to be dealt with. We totally accept it may have to be slimmed down a bit and that the Minister was handed this matter. The decision was made by somebody at a desktop who just decided the building was old and would be shut down. The perfect opportunity was seen to do it nice and quietly, under the guise of Covid, without any fallout.

That is what is very difficult for people who raised considerable sums of money. Carrick-on-Suir is not a wealthy town. The fundraising drive was incredible. They were able to fit out all the windows and doors and three palliative rooms, along with a lift. We are de factoshareholders and stakeholders in that hospital.

We have been studiously ignored. Mr. Torpey has written many times about the disrespect in the letters back from the HSE. It just does not care and that attitude goes across the way. It will go full circle. I have no doubt the building will be closed. When we come to next year, with our aging population and the same situation with trolleys, the HSE will look to reopen it under a different guise.

The people of our area are so prepared to fundraise for our beloved St. Brigid's. I think approximately €90,000 in funds was raised by the community. It is held in an account and is still there. We could make small changes to lockers and wardrobes. We could take the shoulders off the narrow corridor for which we do not have the measurement. These are things that can all be done. We are speaking to the converted here. Everybody is very supportive. As many Deputies and Senators have said, it is HSE, HIQA and policy. Policy is made and then a report is done afterwards to make it fit the policy.