Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

In the two terms plus one year I have been a Member of the Dáil, this is one of the most outrageous and regrettable incidents I have come across. Also, while I acknowledge the presence of the Minister of State, Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher, it is regrettable the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney, has chosen not to attend the House this evening.

It was Florence Nightingale who said "The very first requirement in a hospital is that it should do the sick do no harm." I want to extend my sympathy to the families, relatives and friends of the 16 people who lost their lives in 2007 in St. Columcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown.

It is regrettable that it was the county coroner who sought to push this issue up the agenda. There were 16 deaths in total, ten of which related to C. difficile. In five of these cases C. difficile was the direct cause of death. Some six deaths were related to MRSA. In October 2007, Dr. Crowe called for the appointment of a consultant microbiologist. This has not happened to date. The coroner, Mr. Kieran Geraghty, made recommendations in January 2007 but it cannot be established if these were implemented. I hope the Minister of State can tonight give us some explanation for these deaths. The situation is totally unacceptable. I do not know if people died from C. difficile or MRSA 50 or 100 years ago but I know they have died in St. Columcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown, in the past year. It is a terrible indictment on the HSE and the health service and ultimately the buck stops with the Minister. We can talk all day about a consultant microbiologist. I go into several hospitals not only Tallaght Hospital. I visited Whitfield Clinic outside Waterford at Christmas. It was very hygienic. The disinfectant was inside the door and it was spick and span. Most of our hospitals, which are under the control of the State, are in a terrible condition. Basic cleaning is not actually being done in the hospitals.

It is regrettable that I find myself in a position where if somebody told me in the morning he or she was trying to get into Loughlinstown, I would have to advise against going there at present. Our local councillor, John Ryan, was on the national airwaves this morning in regard to this issue. I want the Minister to be able to tell me there is no infection in that hospital and that it is safe to go in there.

Why did this happen? What measures are being put in place to ensure it will not recur? Can the Minister of State give a guarantee to the House that it is safe for patients to go into St. Columcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown? I would like to be able to tell them it is safe but I am not so sure.

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