Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)

I wish to raise the urgent need for the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, and the Health Service Executive to implement the High Court agreement for the provision of general hospital services in south Tipperary, including the transfer of general surgical services to South Tipperary General Hospital at Clonmel, the approval and opening of a general practitioner assessment unit, the staffing of the newly completed units at Our Lady's Hospital, Cashel, and the approval for the funding, completion, staffing and opening of the acute medical unit at South Tipperary General Hospital, Clonmel.

I am once again disappointed tonight that the Tánaiste has not taken the time to respond on this debate. It is disappointing to say the least that the Tánaiste, who was in the House a few moments ago, chose to leave rather than take this Adjournment debate. I understand that Deputy Cowley has another health related Adjournment issue. It is extremely disappointing that the Minister should not take this debate. She has been hiding from this issue. This is the sixth occasion on which I have raised it in the House since 1 February and on each occasion the Tánaiste has refused to take the debate or answer any of my questions.

During the passage of the legislation to establish the Health Service Executive last December, the Tánaiste assured us that she would ensure that our questions in this House were answered. Once the Bill had completed its passage, that was simply changed. One now receives replies to questions along the following lines.

Under the Act, the Executive has the responsibility to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. This includes responsibility for the provision of health services in south Tipperary. Accordingly, my Department has requested the chief executive officer of the Health Service Executive ... to deal with the matter.

The Tánaiste is hiding from this issue and many others. I hope the Minister of State will have some positive news for me. I have enough documentation to paper every wall of this House, most of it ráiméis that I have heard over the past ten years. I want to know when the Tánaiste and the Health Service Executive will approve the revenue funding for units that were completed 12 months ago at Our Lady's Hospital, Cashel. When will the Tánaiste approve the GP assessment unit at the hospital? When will she fund the acute medical unit that is three-quarters complete at South Tipperary General Hospital, Clonmel? When will the transfer of surgical services from Cashel to Clonmel take place? I have enough paper to cover the walls of this Chamber, and I need answers tonight, as do the people of south Tipperary.

The county council asked for a deputation to meet the Tánaiste but received the reply that she was too busy to meet it, just as she is too busy to be in the House tonight to respond to this Adjournment debate. The reply to the county council maintained that the Tánaiste had a very full programme in the immediate future. Part of her responsibility is the provision of quality health services for the people of south Tipperary. This goes back to 1996 and a High Court agreement made between the South Eastern Health Board and the Cashel hospital action committee, and approved by the then Department of Health. Nine years later, we still have not implemented that agreement.

When will this happen? When will staffing be provided for the Cashel units? When will the funding be made available? When will the transfer take place? We were promised that it would take place last March, then by 1 June this year, and now it is up in the air. We do not know when it will take place, since it is now the property of the Health Service Executive for which the Tánaiste apparently has no responsibility. In any reply to a question that I get from the Tánaiste, she kicks matters into touch by referring it to the Health Service Executive. She is hiding from this issue, and I want answers from the Minister of State tonight. Please do not give me more of the same.

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