Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his response. It would be advantageous when Topical Issue debates are taken in this Chamber if a Minister or Minister of State representing the relevant Department could be present. I do not mean that as a criticism of the Minister of State, Deputy English. I know he is deputising for the Minister. I fully accept that Ministers and Ministers of State can be drawn away somewhere else. Their non-attendance can pose a problem, however, when we are discussing important issues. There is no point in minimising this one.

The subliminal message from the phrasing of the text of the reply read by the Minister of State is that we should move on because there is nothing to worry about or see here. The reality is that there is. The HIQA report identified issues that need to be addressed urgently. I am sure it involves the expenditure of money on the plumbing and water supply and distribution systems within the hospital network. I ask the Minister of State to convey to the Minister the sentiment of the House that this matter needs to be addressed urgently. Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital is one of the busiest hospitals in the country. It caters for a huge population in its catchment area. It is simply unsatisfactory in this day and age to have the threat of Legionnaire's disease hanging over the patients and staff of the hospital. I ask the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, to address this.

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