Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)

The Minister has stated that he accepts and agrees with the HIQA reports on Ennis and Mallow hospitals and the recommendations with regard to the other hospitals named in the Ennis report. Obviously, nobody can stand over unsafe provision of care in any hospital, particularly in smaller hospitals. However, there are two ways of addressing this issue. We must either accept the report in full, agree with its findings and close the smaller hospitals, or address the deficiencies in the smaller hospitals and make sure acute services and accident and emergency services, for example, are provided safely. For many of the hospitals named in the report, the Minister intends to use these reports to downgrade smaller hospitals. This is clear and evident from the actions of the Minister today and over recent days with regard to Roscommon County Hospital, for example, which was to have a 24-hour accident and emergency service and is now to have none at all. This report should not be used as a mechanism by the Minister to retract promises made prior to the election and subsequently. Rather than withdrawing services entirely, he should address the deficiencies in the services.

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