Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)

The Minister of State claimed that there is a tendency among some commentators to highlight the perceived flaws in the health system. I can assure him that the commentators' perception is real but his is a fantasy. I acknowledge the excellent work carried out by medical and nursing staff in our hospitals, not least in under-resourced hospitals such as Ennis General Hospital. One crisis leads to another and I am reminded of how the Government first attempted to deny the rip-off culture that exists in many parts of the economy before acknowledging the reality of that matter. I only hope that the Government will do a similar U-turn on accident and emergency services.

I invite the Minister of State to visit Ennis General Hospital and to see at first hand the crisis that faces every hospital in the country. When it comes to the Hanly report, Ennis is similar to many other hospitals in being on the wrong side of the track. Hardly a day passes in which I do not hear complaints about the hospital's services and resources, appalling waiting conditions or patients lying on trolleys. The medical staff are beyond reproach for operating in such conditions.

Deputy James Breen raised the issue of the locked reception area doors. More recently, I learned of an elderly man with a heart condition who went to Limerick for tests and, upon his return, discovered that his bed was occupied. He had to stand for more than three hours because no chairs were available. Today, 119 patients are occupying this 88-bed hospital, including six on trolleys and many more in day wards. That does not describe the discomfort, misery and loss of dignity suffered by patients who present for care. The waiting room is cramped and people are often forced to stand for hours due to the lack of seats. Despite these issues, we are told there is no crisis.

I received a complaint this morning about a woman who presented to the hospital with a nose bleed. She was from west County Clare and had travelled 40 miles to Ennis, yet after waiting several hours, she was told to go to Limerick Regional Hospital. People in west County Clare have to drive more than 50 miles to Limerick and that in itself compounds the problem. Recently I spoke with a constituent from west County Clare who said he would be better off ringing the undertaker than making that journey.

Women of a certain generation have worked in tough times to build this State. Last week, we celebrated the 90th anniversary of the Easter Rising. We should look again at the ideals of the Rising and pay heed to its basic values. The people of County Clare and, in particular, those in the west whose journeys to Limerick Regional Hospital take longer than the golden hour, will not accept the downgrading of Ennis General Hospital. Over the past ten years, €20 million has been promised but, aside from a portakabin on the front lawn, not a penny has been spent in upgrading the hospital. The hospital does not even have a CT scan facility.

The recent report of the Nenagh Hospital Action Committee stated that small facilities provide better services. The cost per day to treat a patient in Nenagh is €711, whereas it costs €953 in Limerick Regional Hospital and €1,153 in Beaumont. A similar cost efficiency system applies to Ennis. I appeal to the Minister of State to make the development plan work for Ennis General Hospital and to free up accident and emergency units because if he does not, he will be forgotten at the polling booth in the next general election.

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