Noel Coonan (Tipperary North, Fine Gael)

Taking services out of a community before putting alternative services in place is a classic case of putting the cart before the horse. The Teamwork report estimates it will cost €380 million to implement this change. However, only €6 million has been allocated to Mr. Paul Burke, the person charged with implementing it. The services are simply not in place at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick. The promised additional 135 beds have not been provided and the additional ambulance and paramedical staff are not in place.

I regret the absence of the Minister of State with responsibility for older people, Deputy Hoctor, from the Chamber. I appeal to the Minister of State who is in attendance, Deputy Moloney, not simply to make new claims that funding is promised for various services. The public has grown tired of the broken promises of Fianna Fáil and the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney. A 20-bed long-stay facility for Borrisokane was included in the capital funding programme last year. This funding was withdrawn on 31 December 2008 and must be reapplied for. The ambulance spaces promised for Thurles and Nenagh — as part of the Government deal with Deputy Lowry, as we were told — have not been delivered. The promised paramedical staff have not been trained and an air ambulance has not been provided.

The Minister of State, Deputy Moloney, is aware that parts of north Tipperary are not accessible to Limerick within the golden hour. This is of great concern to the people of that area and they will not accept it. We will fight tooth and nail on this issue. To paraphrase the words of the Bull McCabe to his son Tadhg, "Do not do it, Minister". Laois people have always been decent to the people of Tipperary and we ask the Minister of State to support us in our battle to retain vital services in north Tipperary. The theory of such proposals is fine but the reality is entirely different. If the services are seen to be in place and operational in Limerick, the people of north Tipperary may reconsider.

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