James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)

Our accident and emergency departments are in a disastrous and life threatening state. I would like to highlight the position of so-called emergency services at the Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar, which I monitored last week on a daily basis. On Thursday, there were 29 patients waiting on trolleys in the accident and emergency department at that hospital. What is it about the concept of emergency and safety that the Minister, Deputy Mary Harney, or Minister of State, Deputy John Moloney, do not understand? Perhaps the Minister of State will explain to me who will accept responsibility if this shameful disregard for patients' well-being leads to fatalities.

The Minister has given a stream of excuses which extends from the working time directive to swine flu. In the context of emergencies, none of these holds good. The Minister must face up to the fact that the closure of wards and beds as part of cost cutting measures is the cause of the log-jam. The bottom line is that the responsibility rests with the Minister. The closure of 1,500 acute hospital beds and not seasonal flu has led to increased waiting times.

On 5 January, 53 beds in the Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar were closed, 41 of which were inpatient beds and 12 of which were day beds.

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