Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group) | Oireachtas source

They health service has been devastated over the past number of years. We have seen €4 billion taken out of the budgets and 11,000 staff gone. In this current period, started by Fianna Fáil and the Greens and continued on by the Fine Gael-Labour Government, we lost in the order of 1,600 to 2,000 beds, and we had previously lost approximately 3,000 beds. Those cuts have devastated the service and they are reflected in every aspect of the service at local level, whether it be in hospitals or community care or, indeed, in the mental health services. For instance, South Tipperary General Hospital has lost €15 million or 25% of its budget and well over 100 staff. That hospital is working above and beyond the call of duty and the staff are excellent. It is now working at 120% capacity every day of the year. I commend the staff and the hospital for the work they are doing.

It is essential to reinvest in the services, particularly at South Tipperary General Hospital. We need at least ten step-down beds - that has been asked for on a number of occasions. We need community intervention teams to ensure that the overcrowding in accident and emergency is stopped. We need additional medical and support staff. We absolutely need the opening of additional medical beds for the hospital and that needs to be done sooner rather than later.

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