Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)

It is not a wonder that our accident and emergency wards are under pressure when up to 66,000 people left the private insurance system last year and up to 2,000 hospital beds remain closed. The HIQA report published today appears to have implications for every other accident and emergency unit. I seek an assurance from the Tánaiste that the resources and staff required to meet the needs of those who visit our accident and emergency departments in their time of greatest need will be provided. For a coroner to ask if it would be safer for people to stay at home than to visit an emergency department and to wonder aloud if accident and emergency units are dangerous places is not acceptable. We need a commitment from the Tánaiste that accident and emergency departments will be effectively staffed and beds will be made available in order that people are no longer required to wait on trolleys. It is unacceptable that such a scenario awaits people attending our hospitals.

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