Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)

While I have been asking this question for six months, I still am no closer to getting an answer from the Government as to whether it plans to downgrade the accident and emergency service in Loughlinstown hospital. The people of Loughlinstown and south County Wicklow seek an answer and a timeframe as to when the Minister will publish or announce his plans or recommendations. I appeal to the Minister not to downgrade the accident and emergency unit at Loughlinstown hospital. I note the Minister has stated this is all about safety. A total of 21,000 people go through the accident and emergency unit at Loughlinstown hospital each year and were it to be downgraded to a minor injuries service operating from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and if, at a conservative estimate, half or even 10,000 of them were to be pushed down to St. Vincent's Hospital, this would mean the attendance of an additional 28 people per day at that hospital's accident and emergency unit. As 31 people already were on trolleys in that hospital yesterday, this does not add up because as matters stand, St. Vincent's Hospital cannot cope.

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