Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would like to ask the Minister of State the current status in terms of opening a renal dialysis unit at Wexford General Hospital. The physical infrastructure for housing the dialysis unit is up and ready. It seems some legal hold up is stopping patients from being able to have their renal dialysis carried out in Wexford General Hospital. At present, patients have to travel to Waterford which is over an hour's drive away. It is not a difficulty for patients to travel to Waterford but renal dialysis patients have to go for dialysis at least three times per week and it can take up to six hours to have dialysis carried out. It can be very stressful, especially for elderly patients, to have to arrange transport to travel to Waterford, have their dialysis carried out and then travel home. The unit at Wexford General Hospital has been set up and very little is required to push it over the line in terms of its opening. I ask the Minister of State to make every effort to ensure patients can have renal dialysis carried out at Wexford General Hospital as soon as possible. It would be a more efficient use of the patient's time and would add to their quality of life. As the Minister of State will understand, any patient who is receiving dialysis already has a decreased quality of life and there is no need for us to add to that when it is unnecessary at this time.

I am delighted about what is happening at Wexford General Hospital. In the 15 years I have been a GP in County Wexford I would have had to travel to Wexford General Hospital at least once a week. My two young sons have been treated in the accident and emergency department there for injuries resulting from the activities young boys get up to and my little girl was born in the hospital. One point I would make about the accident and emergency department and the maternity unit is that they are very claustrophobic. If it was not for such goodwill and dedication to excellence by the staff of Wexford General Hospital, we would never have survived with the current set up in the maternity unit and in the accident and emergency department. Now a brand new maternity unit and accident and emergency department are under construction and it fills my heart with joy to see the construction work under way when I go to the hospital. Even though the Minister, Deputy Howlin, is my colleague in government, he is my political rival in the constituency. He has always been a great friend to Wexford General Hospital and I am sure, like me, he is delighted to see the current construction work at Wexford General Hospital. In all the years we have discussed the future of Wexford General Hospital, he has been a great supporter and has an excellent understanding of what actually happens in our health services. These are positive developments in the health service but there is a possibility to add to the excellence of the services at Wexford General Hospital and I hope the Minister will be able to give me positive new about the provision of renal dialysis services at the hospital.

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