Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)

I welcome that the Minister has called HIQA in to look at the services in Ennis General Hospital, as we have a serious situation in County Clare.

I take the Minister back to last May, when she said she acted speedily. I do not believe this. At that time, the Minister told the Oireachtas Members from Clare, three of whom are present today, along with the mayors of Clare, that she would be down in Clare within two weeks to compliment staff on the way they treated the C. difficile crisis that emerged in the hospital at that time. She stated she would probably include Ennis in the capital programme for 2008, which was what we all expected. We did not see the Minister then and still have not seen her.

A very serious issue has emerged with those two cases. When the Minister responded to the recommendations of the Portlaoise and Barrington cases reports, she said patients' interests come first. This has not been the case regarding what the Minister has said this afternoon, that an investigation cannot take place with everybody. Every case is important.

I visited the Kelly family yesterday morning. They were on local radio and the girls in my office cried upon hearing what they said. I was touched by these people, who just want answers and not publicity. We need to know what happened and why. In the case of Ann Moriarty, we must know why the suspect blood was put on the shelf and why the X-ray was not read properly. X-rays are taken every day outside of cancer services in Ennis General Hospital and blood samples are also taken daily. We must know why the problem happened and if it was a resource or staffing problem. We need answers quickly.

The Minister's announcement this afternoon of an investigation by HIQA will help but there are other issues. I want to know why the Minister has not put funding for the development plan in place. She promised she would visit the area.

The issue of mammograms is related to what we are talking about. Why is it that a patient with a family history of cancer but without symptoms is not being given a mammogram currently? Why has BreastCheck not been rolled out in the mid-west region? Women are extremely worried about themselves following the incidents in Ennis General Hospital. When will the roll-out happen? It is an important action but only people with symptoms are being referred for mammograms currently. There are many worried women in County Clare now, particularly public patients, who cannot go for mammograms as a result.

I have two other questions. A CAT scanner was announced by the Minister at the May meeting but I have never heard of a CAT scanner working for just five days a week, which is the Minister's proposal. People do not get sick only between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. but rather on a 24 hours a day basis. Car accidents can happen at any time. A CAT scanner is a necessary piece of equipment in a hospital but the Minister is only putting it in place for five days a week. What is stopping a technician being appointed, with the film being sent to the Limerick centre of excellence for a report?

Is the Minister aware of any other cases of misdiagnosis in Ennis General Hospital aside from the third case we know of from last night? Are there other cases and has the Minister been in touch with the HSE in this regard? We must know this information.

When will the Minister come to the hospital to give assurances to the Clare people and the staff, whose morale is very low? She should assure these people that investment is going into the hospital as we cannot put it on the long finger any more. The Minister does not act speedily but rather very slowly.

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