Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)

On the day the Teamwork report was published, there were patients on trolleys for up to three days in the north east and the hospital had to close for a time. Is the Minister familiar with the highlands and islands of Scotland model of health care delivery? Is she familiar with the models used in Cornwall and in the Downe hospital in Downpatrick, which provides health care to a peninsula, which is similar to County Clare? It is essential that we maintain and work within the "golden hour", the standard international maximum time limit to treat anybody who has suffered a stroke or heart attack or who has been involved in an accident. I want to know if the Minister is familiar with those models of health care.

I appeal to the Minister to walk away from the Teamwork report. Great concern and anger has been expressed by the people of County Clare. Along with other Deputies, I have attended public demonstrations and meetings where GPs, nurses and ambulance personnel have expressed deep fears and concerns about patient safety if accident and emergency services are removed from Ennis General Hospital. I ask the Minister to step back from this, examine it and listen to the people on the ground, the GPs, nurses and ambulance personnel who have major concerns about this. I ask the Minister to take those concerns on board and walk away from the Teamwork report.

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