Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)

I request the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to discuss an urgent and specific matter of public interest, namely, the reports that the new €5 million accident and emergency unit at Mercy University Hospital, Cork, will close each evening at 8 p.m. because of financial cutbacks. The accident and emergency unit at this hospital treated 25,000 people last year and 10,000, or 40% of these patients, were treated after 8 p.m. Mercy University Hospital has a proven track record of providing quality health care and managing its affairs in a business-like manner and it makes no financial sense to invest €5 million in a facility and keep it closed for half of the time. The hospital, its staff and, most importantly, the people of Cork are being treated shamefully by the Minister and the HSE and I call for the adjournment of the Dáil to discuss this most important issue.

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