Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State, but this is more waffle from the HSE. The plain fact is that too many cuts have taken place. I salute a young man in Bansha, Mr. Andrew O'Halloran, and his team for raising this issue, organising a public meeting and bringing their concerns, through me, to the floor of Dáil Éireann. The HSE states it will advertise posts and do everything it can to ensure continuity of service. It is like the farmer going to creamery without the bulk tank because he or she forgets to bring it. An appealing contract is what is needed. That is what we had for more than 40 years with the rural practice allowance, but it has been taken away with one swipe. To add insult to injury, rent is now being sought for use of the premises.

We are not going to get any qualified GP to come to a rural area in these circumstances. We are, therefore, shutting the door on rural Ireland. The Minister of State is a rural Deputy from my neighbouring constituency and should know this because it is plain and simple. Bansha was home to the late, great Canon Hayes who founded Muintir na Tíre. He always said it was better to light a candle than to curse the dark, but the Government is quenching the candle. It is extinguishing life in rural Ireland. It is taking sustenance from rural families, particularly the elderly and the vulnerable who want to meet their GP in their own area. People can walk or get a lift or a taxi to their local village. They do not want to be forced to travel ten or 12 miles to a doctor's surgery that is already full. A GP from Tipperary town said last week that he could not take any more patients because his practice was already overflowing.

It is a sad day when we allow the HSE to dictate to the Government and close down the rural practice in Bansha by stealth. It is making it uninviting or unappealing for any GP to work there because there is too much red tape and so little support. Shame on the Minister for allowing this to happen and shame on the Government for putting up the gates and quenching the lights in rural Ireland, especially in Bansha, which the late Canon Hayes ensured would be one of the first places to benefit from rural electrification in the 1950s. It is an insult to the people living there and the Government has done the same in many areas. Its view is to hell with the people. Cromwel said, "To hell or to Connacht." The Government is almost as bad. It is not good enough. I ask it to stand up to the HSE and ensure the rural practice allowance is reinstated. There are 32 communities which are affected, including Bansha.

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