Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)

On promised legislation, and in particular the Health Information Bill, is the Tánaiste or any member of the Government aware of how the bureaucratic monster, namely, the HSE is surreptitiously pursuing a campaign to downgrade the status of the Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar? At 5 p.m. today 41 acute beds will be taken out of the most efficient hospitals in the country. No discussions took place with consultants, nurses or patients. Beds for acute patients who present to the hospital 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks of the year will be removed. Is there any control over this monster? Why did the HSE steal money which was due to the hospital? Some €1.5 million was to be provided to it but only €0.5 million was received. The monster must be emasculated because it is destroying the health service and the people of Longford-Westmeath will not stand for it. Hundreds of patients are now very worried. This is a matter of life and death. Acute beds are being replaced with day beds. I cannot understand it.

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