James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

I move:

That Dáil Éireann,

recalling the promises made by An Taoiseach and the Minister for Health and Children in May 2007 that there would be no cut in frontline health services;

noting the:

deterioration of critical frontline hospital services in recent months, as evidenced by the:

loss of 30 nurses and four consultants from Sligo General Hospital;

cancellation of dental services for children in Inchicore and Bluebell;

dismantling of key services at mid-western regional hospital, Ennis;

immediate closure of breast cancer services at 13 hospitals nationally without alternative services being available;

closure of a 24-bed unit for the rehabilitation of elderly patients at Merlin Park Hospital, Galway,

disuse of a 17-bed surgical ward at mid-western regional hospital, Limerick; and

cancellation of essential suicide prevention training for applied suicide intervention skills training (ASIST);

calls on the Government to:

ensure that frontline health services are not reduced and that any budgetary adjustments necessary are focused on administration and bureaucracy rather than essential frontline services.

I wish to share time with Deputies Clune, Flanagan, Feighan, Deenihan, Joe Carey and Perry.

In recent weeks health services have come under consistent attack, with draconian cut-backs, continuous closures and the cancellation of critical services. Prior to the general election both the Minister for Health and Children and the Taoiseach were vehement in their denials that there would be cutbacks to health services. However, less than 100 days after their return to Government, frontline health services have deteriorated all over the country and the Government's assurances have been exposed as lies. I have decided to use Private Members' time to expose the reality of these actions, the harmful impact these decisions are having on patient lives and the effect these decisions are having on the delivery of frontline health care services.

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