Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

-----because the Minister of State has suggested it be run under a public private partnership arrangement. Would it not be more logical to grant the facility to St. James's Hospital, if the HSE no longer wishes to have anything to do with it, and allow that public hospital to run it to service its needs? I have to hand figures indicating that in October 2012, St. James's Hospital had more than 50 patients awaiting discharge and placement in long-term care beds and I do not believe the situation has improved greatly subsequently. These patients obviously would take up all the beds contained in this unit. Moreover, as it is located one mile down the road, were any issues to arise with those patients, they could be transferred quickly back to St. James's Hospital. In addition, more than 20 patients in Tallaght hospital were awaiting precisely the same placement in long-term care beds. All such long-term care beds are being facilitated in the private sector and this constitutes the privatisation of the health service. I appeal to the Minister of State, as a Labour Party Minister in particular, to oppose any privatisation, whether through public private partnerships or by way of subsidising private nursing homes in such a fashion. I appeal to her to open this facility as a public-run unit available to members of the public. It is illogical for it to sit there. While it is welcome that the Minister of State is contemplating action, I note the action is for it to be run not as a public facility but as a private facility paid for by the public.

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