James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

I put it to the Minister that the question is quite clear. It asks the Minister about her plans to limit accident and emergency services as a result of the cutbacks and shortage of doctors; if she will identify each hospital affected by these plans, which she failed to do; if she supports the action - she failed to say whether she did; if she is concerned about the impact this will have on patient care; and the details of the contingency plans. If she is not in a position to answer verbally today I would like her to submit to me a written answer outlining what hospitals are affected because we are hearing of hospitals all around the country which are being affected.

There have been changes in the visa system which mitigate against non-consultant hospital doctors, who in the past paid a fee and were issued with a visa for two years but are now only being issued with a visa for three months. Can the Minister inform us why that is the case? We are discussing further cutbacks and the European working time directive at a time when the coroner in Kildare is writing to the HSE to highlight the overcrowded nature of our accident and emergency departments after hearing that an 86 year old women died after a 36 hour wait on a hospital trolley in the accident and emergency department in Naas General Hospital. She was admitted with a suspected hip fracture and uncharacteristic confusion in February 2009. The Minister sent two HSE executives to Galway to help resolve problems with patients in the accident and emergency department there and the HSE plans to close a further 1,100 beds.

How will the Minister achieve what she said she would achieve? I note in her answer she referred to putting in place proper community facilties. They are not there. The fair deal, which was intended to make more space available to people is now being used to close public long-term care facilities and we cannot have it for the private citizens. Does the Minister support these actions?

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