Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

Seven years ago the Department was advised there was a need for permanent appointments in the radiology department but the Minister did not make them. She quite rightly referred to the Neary report and the Harding-Clarke inquiry. One of the recommendations in the report was the appointment of a lead clinician in the region to oversee the work of various specialists. Was a lead clinician appointed in the north east with responsibility for the work of all those under him or her?

The person involved in these cases was a temporary consultant. The Minister stated finance was not an issue in this regard but that is not the case. Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital was €7 million over budget in September 2007 while Louth County Hospital was €1.7 million over budget. The information I received under a freedom of information application highlights the trouble and the pressure on staff because of increased costs for oncology, medical and surgical supplies and under-funding here, there and everywhere. In January 2007, Navan hospital employed five agency NCHDs in its accident and emergency department, one agency person for surgical registration and one consultant anaesthetist and one agency medical SHO to cover sick leave. That is a large number of temporary appointments, which is unacceptable.

The Minister received a letter from Finbar Lennon, a senior consultant in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, in August 2007, in which he stated he was deeply concerned that the situation was very unsafe in the north east and he called for a fundamental reappraisal of the current strategy being pursued by management. Is it not a fact the Minister has failed absolutely, totally and abjectly in her duty of care to patient safety? When will the patient safety commission, which she established some time ago, report?

See this speech in context