Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I did not catch whether the matter has been drawn to the attention of the Minister of State. Has she spoken with the hospital in Galway and with Galway Primary Care? That is a specific question.

As a result of the cutbacks in Galway city, there are patients in the hospital who cannot be discharged and, as a result, patients cannot get in. I refer to one particular case where the patient had to stay in a B&B. Meetings are taking place on a weekly basis and the role of the public health nurse has been extended in order to reduce the number of home care packages and home help hours patients are getting. I have an urgent message on my phone about a patient in the hospital. I will not go into it because we are in the Dáil Chamber. The patient's recommended package is 21 hours, which gives an indication of the seriousness of the medical condition. The public health nurse's role is to reduce that number. They are now at eight hours and they are negotiating in a situation where 21 hours is recommended.

See this speech in context