Breeda Moynihan-Cronin (Kerry South, Labour)

I thank Deputy Ferris for allowing me one minute of his time. I appreciate it because I want to add my voice to the concerns raised by the people in County Kerry about the victimisation we are experiencing in funding for the Kerry General Hospital.

Some 40 general practitioners left their surgeries yesterday to picket a hospital. They were not looking for anything for themselves. They were not looking for a pay rise. They were looking for fair play for patients. That is all they were looking for.

The former Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Martin, is in the House and I must put some of the blame at his door. When he was Minister for Health and Children they kept pumping money into Cork Regional Hospital and kept ignoring Kerry.

The perception, which is being stated around north Kerry and Tralee by Government supporters, is that the reason we are not getting the funding for Tralee general hospital is there is no Minister in north Kerry. This hospital covers the whole of County Kerry. There is a senior Minister in the county and I have not heard one word from him.

As I have, Deputy Ferris has invited the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, to visit the hospital in Tralee. I doubt our Minister in south Kerry would even know the way there. I do not know whether he has visited the hospital in Tralee to see the position.

I met the accident and emergency consultant last year. At that stage he was outlining the difficulties he was experiencing and nobody was listening. The Opposition Deputies in the county are working as a unit on this and they have raised the matter repeatedly.

Who will take responsibility for Tralee general hospital? The position is serious. Nobody wants to take responsibility but the Government must. The Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, must take responsibility for the neglect. The Government representatives and the Tánaiste should be ashamed of themselves for allowing the current situation to continue in Kerry General Hospital.

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