Dáil debates

Wednesday, 25 June 2008

9:00 pm

Photo of Kathleen LynchKathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)

I wish to share time with Deputy Ciarán Lynch. Last Tuesday, Professor Drumm and the Minister for Health and Children appeared at a meeting of the Joint Committee on Health and Children. I put questions to both and was dismissed as if I did not know what I was talking about.

I referred to the two theatres at the maternity hospital, which is a magnificent facility, that have never been opened. I spoke about two consultants there, one of whom told me he is drained by the constant battling with management to get more resources so that he can deal with his private and public list. Both told me they could clear their lists within a 12-month period if they had the theatre space available. In any week, they told me there are ten consultants waiting for theatre space who cannot get it. This is happening in the same hospital that Professor Drumm told me had no problem and should get about its business. If we believe the Minister and Professor Drumm, we are looking at additional consultants who will sit around drinking coffee because there is no theatre space in Cork in which to operate. This is what happened with Mr. Kelly. An unfortunate woman, who must have been in pain and quite traumatised by her injuries, had to wait five and a half hours to find a space in a theatre. It was not that the consultant was not available — the theatre space was not available. This is the same theatre space that Professor Drumm told me there was no problem with.

The question that must be answered is straightforward. Someone is telling the truth and someone is telling lies. There can only be one person telling the truth because the two statements contradict each another dramatically. An entire team of consultants and medical staff say that this happened, that it happens regularly and that the hospital is in crisis. These people have nothing to gain from this being made public. They must return, work under the same conditions and treat people every day and night.

On the other hand, the manager says that there is nothing wrong, that the e-mail is erroneous and that it never happened. The manager needs to say that because it looks as if the hospital is doing well and that nothing is wrong. There are two conflicting statements and someone must be telling the truth. I know who I believe. There should be a board of management established in what is a major industry, given the numbers that work in it. Where is the Minister for Health and Children? Absent, as usual.

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