Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)

I thank the Chair for the opportunity to raise this issue. No issue has caused more problems for people in the Cavan-Monaghan region than health. I urge the Minister to intervene to ensure that all available beds in Monaghan General Hospital are put to use in light of the fact that Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda cannot cope with even its own day surgery requirements and patients in urgent need there now find their appointments cancelled.

I raise this issue because this morning I learnt of the case of a woman who was to have a pin removed from her ankle in a day procedure in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital. However, the procedure was cancelled at the last minute, as was a similar procedure for her neighbour, due to the lack of beds. I understand at least three or four other procedures were also cancelled. I am advised that the lady concerned may have her operation on Friday. It is over ten weeks since she had the pin inserted and a cast put on her foot after a serious break in her ankle. She is a main carer for her 82 year old mother and handicapped sister. This delay is just a symptom of the problem in Drogheda.

I had a letter dated 6 June from a consultant stating that he could empathise completely with a person such as I wrote to him about who suffered substantial delays in treatment. He said the bed situation in Our Lady of Lourdes was very difficult due to the volume of trauma victims and that it was not unusual for no patient to be admitted on his operating list for day treatment. This was very frustrating for everybody. According to some people there is no shortage of beds, but this has proven to be untrue in the case of the Drogheda hospital.

I highlight these two cases to demonstrate the impossible situation for all concerned. I demand that the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, should check the facts when she and her experts state that patients in Cavan and Monaghan are now in danger.

The Health Service Executive and its teams state they must only allow level 3 critical care patients to be dealt with in Drogheda. This means that within three months all level 3 care for patients needing ventilation and other organ failure support should be centralised at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital. This is not viable or responsible. We know beyond question that Drogheda hospital cannot cope currently with its load, not to mind an increased load.

The only reason there may be problems in Monaghan General Hospital is that the Government removed services and staff by devious means. There is now a danger it will use the Dáil summer recess to further cut services. I warn those who allow this to happen, whether the Minister, those she employs with taxpayers' money or those who support her in the House, that they will be exposed for the lives they put at risk. It is all very well to close down a service when a proper replacement service is in place, but to force people to use an ambulance service before decent roads or services are available is unforgivable.

Last night the Taoiseach advised the House of the many billions of euro he could spend. He tried to make people believe the Government has delivered on medical cards and home help, yet it is desperately trying to advertise doctor-only cards in order to get them into the system before the next election. It hopes people will forget that at least 100,000 medical cards have been lost over the past few years.

A 94 year old woman who is on her death bed can only get five hours home help per week. This works out at less than four hours in real terms. However, the HSE sends me and others a ten-page document that makes it seem the situation is different. The facts on the ground indicate otherwise. Health in Cavan-Monaghan is in crisis. No tall stories or shouting will change that. I urge the Minister for Education and Science, who is here to represent the Minister for Health and Children, to persuade the Tánaiste to examine the situation and see what she do about it.

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