Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

What did the Government really expect? A total of €2.7 billion was cut from health during the recession. Last year alone, approximately €660 million was cut by the Government and 2,000 beds have been closed. It was inevitable there would be a bed crisis and an accident and emergency department crisis over Christmas and the new year. We have seen up to 600 people on trolleys and a two-week cancellation of all procedures. It is probably the worst crisis we have had, given there was no flu epidemic or vomiting bug, and it was purely due to cuts. There is no solution to this, except for austerity in the health service and everywhere else to be ended and for investment to be made to provide the extra beds, nurses and other health staff needed.

I am very disappointed the Minister is not here. I did some investigating this morning and was genuinely shocked to discover our local hospital, Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown, is the worst in the country. I have figures for January, since the Minister returned from holidays and has had time to deal with it. On 7 January, 37 people in Connolly Hospital were waiting for a bed and for admission. This was the second worst situation in the country. On 8 January, 38 people were waiting for a bed there and it was the worst situation in the country. On 9 January, 41 people were waiting for admission to the hospital, with 19 people on trolleys and 22 people on the wards. How sickening for nursing staff to hear the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, state they should put their shoulder to the wheel and take an extra two beds into wards when 22 extra beds are already in the wards in Connolly Hospital. Nurses have been driven out of the health service, their wages have been cut and their conditions have been made worse, and now we have the idea they should bear the brunt, when it is not the case it would solve the crisis. Connolly Hospital scored top of the league again on 13 January, with 35 people still in the accident and emergency department.

People in Dublin West would have thought that with the Tánaiste and Minister for - so-called - Social Protection and the Minister for Health, our hospital would have been in safe hands. There were huge public meetings in Dublin West before the previous general election - the biggest meetings I have seen in the area on any topic - when the accident and emergency department was threatened with closure. That was under the Fianna Fáil-led Government and all sorts of promises were given by the Ministers, Deputies Burton and Varadkar, that this would never happen again. We now find out that Connolly Hospital has the worst record in the country despite the Minister representing that constituency. It beggars belief that he is not here to answer on that issue.

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