John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I wish to be as balanced as I can in the comments I make. I thank Deputy Reilly for tabling the motion. I will confine myself to the Health Service Executive west area and Mayo hospitals in particular. The Health Service Executive west has overruns of €50 million but I understand that Mayo General Hospital has an overrun of just €1 million and further efficiencies have been agreed. All we hear about is further cutbacks to hours of temporary nurses and front-line services. Mayo General Hospital is an efficient hospital. It was recently judged the fifth most efficient in the country. Its budget was reduced from €85 million in 2009 to €77 million this year. I wish to set down a marker. The hospital should be rewarded for its efficiency rather than penalised by further reductions in future budgets. The hospital is to be commended for choosing such measures as ring-fenced beds for surgery so as to allow it to continue to function.

There was much discussion in recent years about cancer services in the west. I do not wish to return to the debate. I am sure patients are receiving good care in University College Hospital, Galway. Due to the rotating closure of operating theatres in Galway because of the chronic financial situation there, the service provided in the centre of excellence is not as good as it was previously in the old system in Mayo General Hospital when the service was being provided there.

It is a different story altogether with the home help service, mental health services and the funding of voluntary services in the county. Following reviews, the home help service in County Mayo has been decimated. It used to be known as home help hours but it is now better described as home help minutes. The policy of the Government is to care for as many elderly as possible in the home. People are doing a wonderful job which is a social service as well as a medical service. The home help service is saving the State money, yet it has been cut by more than €500,000 again this year. Mental health services in County Mayo have been decimated. A total of 60 experienced mental health nurses have retired and were not replaced. Thousands of euro were spent a few years ago on the O'Hara Home in Kiltimagh, a day care centre, and it is now closed. I understand the closure of bungalows at Áras Attracta is being contemplated. This is very hard to take when we discover that in the Health Service Executive west area there is one administrator for every two nurses. Approximately €2.4 million in grants to the voluntary services have been cut. The demand for help from Western Alzheimer's has increased by 40% but its funding has been reduced by 30%. I commend the motion to the House.

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