Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)

I appreciate being selected. The reason I raise this issue is because I want clarity on the closure of the gynaecological theatre in University Hospital, Galway, to all procedures other than emergency operations and caesarean sections. The INMO expressed serious concern about the recent closure of the theatre. We are trying to get to the bottom of why there is talk of suspending elective surgery for five weeks in the theatre.

As the Minister of State, Deputy Lynch, is well aware, the nursing staff who have worked extra time are owed 2,700 hours, comprising 1,000 hours in annual leave and 1,700 hours for on-call work. The nurses have been told to take time off during the five-week period. If this is true, it is evident that there was no capability to plan for the loss of seven nurses due to early retirement and sick leave, which also resulted in some difficulties. It is quite clear that the theatre is not working at full capacity. The staff have been told they must take their time off over the next five weeks while the theatre is closed to elective surgery or else lose their entitlement.

The staff have worked exceptionally hard. They have put their shoulders very firmly to the wheel and have assisted in trying to deal with the backlog and difficulties faced by underfunded health services. I do not expect the Minister of State to wave a magic wand on this issue. We all realise that budgets must be adhered to, but the difficulty is that there was no planning to ensure there would be no loss of expertise and capacity required to run a gynaecological surgical theatre on foot of the loss of front line staff. The Minister's statement in the House that there was a plan for all eventualities is threadbare.

Why is a theatre being closed to elective surgery for five weeks? Why have the staff been told that if they do not take off the hours they are due during the five-week period, they will lose them. I refer to the staff who have been at the front line dealing with challenges continually and working under extremely difficult conditions.

I visited the hospital last year and noted a hugely committed staff. They were willing to put in every effort to ensure the hospital ran as smoothly as possible. Obviously, there are capacity issues and the reduction in the hospital's budget is exacerbating the problem. In recent weeks, due to staff shortages, it has not been possible to run the theatre at full capacity. On occasion, the gynaecological staff must use the main theatre in the hospital and theatre time in Mayo General Hospital and Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe for urgent elective surgery. Despite this, a theatre remains idle in University Hospital, Galway.

All I ask for is clarity, not for me but for the staff. The INMO has expressed serious concern over the manner in which this matter has been handled. The staff deserve better.

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