Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The number of patients on trolleys is increasing right around the country, but since 2012 there has been a 33% increase in the number of administrative staff in the health service. There are young children who need spinal operations but whose parents are told by letter that there is a 15-month waiting list, although their consultants say they need the operation sooner.

When a Deputy writes to the Minister for Health about problems in his constituency, he receives a letter back stating it is a HSE matter and that if he does not hear back from the HSE within 15 days, he should contact the Minister again. When one writes to the HSE, one receives the same blasé letter from someone who basically does not give two damns whether the patient is sorted or not. The officials would be better writing to the Deputy stating, "Tell your constituent to live in pain," because they do nothing about it. It is becoming more frustrating for every Deputy in this House. If there is a captain of the ship, he has got to sail it.

The Taoiseach spoke about money. There is more to organising hospitals than money. From what I can see, there are many chiefs and not enough Indians. Ultimately, one needs people to be organised. It may not be about money; it may be about people not handling staff correctly and not putting staff in the proper positions. Over the past four years, the health service has actually got worse. Let nobody deny that. If the people overseeing the service - the captain of the ship - are not solving the problem, do we need to look elsewhere and find some other way of solving it through some other person? At present, people around the country are losing faith very quickly. Will the Taoiseach take an interest himself, help the Minister and bring in the people who may be able to organise things? This charade must not continue, because people are losing their lives.

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