Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The existing network of five hospitals serves a population of 500,000 in the south east. There is almost a network of ten hospitals, with much duplication of resources, serving a population of 1.2 million to which we now want to add by sending some of the population of the south east to Dublin and Cork, into hospitals that already have capacity problems. This is a critical health care issue that needs to be deeply analysed before a Government decision is made and requires the full attention of the Minister and the Government. The Minister must listen to the public representatives who are voicing the concerns of the people of Waterford and the south-east region. They must be able to stand over any Government decision which must be justified in terms of equality of access to health care in the regions. I ask the Minister to take into account this view which I am not expressing lightly. We are working on a cross-party basis - I acknowledge the presence of Deputy John Halligan and all of the Oireachtas Members in the south east - to try to find a solution and resolve this critical issue.

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