Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The matter I raise relates to the programme for Government and the health system. Last week, a family in my constituency received a telephone call at 4.30 a.m. asking that they remove from a hospital a 98 year old lady who had suffered an attack and been admitted to hospital the previous day. It is appalling that such circumstances continue in the health system. Will the Government ensure that no family receives a telephone call at 4.30 a.m. asking that they remove a family member from hospital? As bad as this experience was for the family, it is even worse for the patient. This appalling practice should be outlawed and eliminated. It is a case of trying to improve bed management figures and it is not good enough. I hope this issue, which has been raised previously by other Deputies, will be addressed and will no longer occur. While I do not propose to name the hospital involved, I will provide the Tánaiste with details of the case.

See this speech in context