Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

I remind the Tánaiste that the doctors in Blanchardstown, who take their responsibilities very seriously, have delivered in terms of the work they do. They have written to local public representatives, including the Ministers for Social Protection and Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputies Burton and Varadkar - who are betraying the hospital - and stated that they cannot guarantee that it will be safe to continue to provide services in light of the level of cuts envisaged.

I again ask the Tánaiste whether he will recalibrate the balance, stop paying some of this disgusting interest to European gamblers and reverse the cuts in funding to James Connolly Hospital and other facilities throughout the country. James Connolly Hospital is critically important to people in large parts of the greater Dublin, Kildare and Meath areas.

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