James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Secretary General of the Department of Health accompanied me that day. Work is still ongoing in Letterkenny. One of the biggest challenges for the hospital was to get the diagnostics back up and running. A modular unit was brought in which had very high operational capability, even better than what was there previously. There is a multi-purpose radiology interventional suite there and project teams have been established for services in those areas which were significantly impacted by the flooding, such as the coronary care unit, the cardiac investigations unit, medical records, the laboratories, the mortuary and staff facilities.

Water does an enormous amount of damage by getting in behind panels and under flooring. All of that carries contamination risk, so it is a major job to recommission all these areas but it is one in which the staff in the hospital and the wider community, the county council, the fire brigade and all the voluntary organisations have got involved in a major way to support the hospital getting back to normal so it can continue to deliver the excellence in care which it has traditionally delivered over the years.

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