Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I know the Deputy has enormous interest in this topic. We have discussed it in the House and he has raised it with me personally on a number of occasions. I can hear his passion for the issue from his speech today. From a political point of view I am very keen to have the station opened as soon as possible and the delay that has occurred to date is unacceptable. It is, unfortunately, a common feature of our health service that we often see staff interests on the television or on the radio advocating on behalf of patients only to appear in rooms and offices a day or two later delaying the opening of new wards and other facilities, including a whole mental hospital in Cork, on the basis of staffing issues and industrial relations issues that should have been solved long before these facilities were completed. This is a recurring theme and for decades now I have seen new facilities which need to be opened in the interests of patients but cannot be because of those staffing or industrial relations issues. It is disappointing to see patients used as pawns by any side, whether management or unions, in such situations. However, we do have mechanisms, including the LRC and the Labour Court, through which an intervention can occur if needs be so I encourage people to be bound by whatever recommendations come out of these bodies.

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