Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I agree. In 2023, that any families would be in houses without water is crazy. It just goes to show that, as we have always said, Irish Water is one of the biggest quangos that was ever set up, and it has done absolutely nothing to improve our water system, as far as I am concerned. We hear daily in our offices that there are constant boil water notices and water supplies are being turned out. We cannot get in touch with the agency most of the time. I agree that we will take the recommendations and see what comes back. Irish Water is on our work programme to come in at some stage in the near future. There are other situations as well, such as in Kilross. If we are bringing in Irish Water, we will look at all these petitions and try to get answers from it whenever that happens. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Petition No. P00060/22, regarding saving Clifden District Hospital, is from Ms Anne McDonagh. The petitioner stated:

Clifden District Hospital is having its services and resources systematically stripped by the HSE. This has been occurring for multiple years and has seen the gradual dismantling of the hospital over time. This slow and intentional removal of its services has undermined the hospital’s ability to serve the community of Clifden and the surrounding areas. This long-standing agenda has culminated in the shocking news that the HSE intends to immediately end all respite care for the elderly in Clifden Hospital – a vital service which has provided care for those in need for many years and offered crucial support to families and carers.

The secretariat received a response from the HSE on 23 June in reply to the petitioner’s correspondence of 27 March. The committee recommends that the correspondence from the Health Service Executive be forwarded to the petitioner for comment within 14 days.