Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Last week my constituency colleague wrote a personal letter to the Roscommon People calling me a traitor and asking me to resign. I have no interest in resigning and I will not resign. I will work within the Government with the excellent Minister, Deputy Reilly, the Minister of State, Deputy Shortall, the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, the Labour Party and the Fine Gael Party to deliver a real health service in this country, and that is what we are going to do.

Deputy 'Ming' Flanagan went to a meeting a year ago at which he was told by the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, and the HSE why Roscommon County Hospital accident and emergency department could not survive, which was because fewer than 30 people a day were using it. His mature comment was that he told a startled health official to go out and get a rope and hang himself. I have stayed in government and I have been at a meeting every week in Roscommon County Hospital. Patient safety will be much better in that hospital and throughout this country because of this Government. I ask any of the Government or Opposition Members to call into Roscommon County Hospital to check the position for themselves because it is busier now than it was two years ago and patient safety is much better.

Deputy 'Ming' Flanagan was not around Roscommon County Hospital last Wednesday when I sat with the design team for the new €3 million endoscopy unit. He was not there last Thursday when the €4 million palliative care unit at the back of the hospital was going to be announced, or on Thursday evening when we opened a primary care centre in his own town of Castlerea, or on Friday when we outlined what exactly is happening in Roscommon County Hospital. I ask those opposite to call into the hospital, have a look to see what is happening and get off their high horse because each and every one of them have shouted for a year and half but I and this Government have delivered.

I want to say one thing. I have the fullest of confidence in the Minister, Deputy Reilly, in the excellent job he is doing, the fullest of confidence in the Minister of State, Deputy Shortall, and in the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, and I believe that time will prove us right.

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