Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)

Good. I welcome the motion which recognises the extraordinary work accident and emergency staff do in difficult circumstances at the best of times, not to mention when they have the added stress of having to deal with drunkenness and abusive behaviour. While the problems of major hospitals are often highlighted, accident and emergency departments in smaller hospitals are also filled to capacity. The same issues apply to smaller hospitals, except they are compounded by a severe shortage of funding. Those hospitals must deal with drunkenness, particularly at weekends, and their security resources are stretched. Indeed, it is only a few years since Ennis General Hospital had to add security people to its staff, which shows a great change in society.

These extra stresses extend to patients. Those who are deserving and in need of the best treatment often face long ambulance journeys to the nearest regional hospital due to the unavailability of a sufficient number of staff and of basic equipment. While patients on trolleys in the Mater or Tallaght hospitals face extreme discomfort, it is small comfort to know that at least they are in the hospital where they will be treated and which has facilities. However, the discomfort of patients on trolleys in smaller hospitals, such as that in the constituency I represent, Ennis General Hospital, is compounded by the fact they may have to remain on a trolley for a few days and then be referred to Limerick, enduring an ambulance journey and a further queue to get the appropriate CT scan. In some instances, there is an emergency case and they must go home and face the same journey the next day.

In the context of the extraordinary and damning wastage of taxpayers' money highlighted in last night's "Prime Time", I am confident the Tánaiste will give a positive response in the next week or so on the capital funding programme for Ennis General Hospital. The hospital has 88 beds. Six of these are in day wards and most of them are filled with in-house patients because of overcrowding in the hospital. Surgery is often cancelled. I spoke to a doctor this evening who told me two patients had their day surgery cancelled on Monday last. I assure the Tánaiste that moneys spent on services for the accident and emergency department in the hospital will be well spent.

Apart from the severe pressure staff must endure in the hospital, they must put up with increasing demands and ongoing threats from the Department of Health and Children to downgrade the hospital, as recommended in the Hanly report, and even to close it. It is no wonder staff and consultants are frustrated by promises in recent years.

According to the most recent figures for 2003, staff dealt with a 5% increase in accident and emergency cases despite the great work done by Shannon Doc and the out of hours GP services in the mid-west region. A CT scan is essential in this hospital so that patients do not have to travel to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick, which is over an hour away. As the Tánaiste is aware, the outline development plan for the hospital has been prepared. I hope she will have positive news when she announces the capital programme next week.

Three weeks ago the Tánaiste met a deputation from the hospital committee which included consultants, staff members and Oireachtas Members. They presented a very compelling case in regard to patient safety, which forms part of this motion. The consultants at the hospital were very concerned about patients given the conditions and equipment in the hospital with which they must deal. As we know, patient safety is paramount for a consultant and a doctor.

The deputation also highlighted the population growth in the region and the fact that much of the population is dependent, ageing and needs a considerable amount of care. I do not know if the Minister of State's Department was included in last night's "Prime Time" on the waste of money but I hope funding for the hospital amounting to approximately €20 million will be included in the Tánaiste's announcement of the capital programme next week. I remind her that the hospital manages its budget efficiently. It is a well run hospital and meets the criteria for funding laid down by her Department. She recognised that at the meeting three weeks ago. I remind her of remarks she made that any hospital run efficiently would be rewarded, and Ennis General Hospital has a strong case. I urge the Tánaiste when she announces the capital programme in the next few weeks to think of Ennis General Hospital and the words of Dr. Hennessy at the meeting that patient safety is vital.

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