Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

There is a commitment in the programme for Government to improve services in the health service, including South Tipperary General Hospital. The latest reply I have from the HSE is totally unclear. It tells me it had a closing date for tender submissions of 16 November and that these were being evaluated by a multidisciplinary evaluation team. It said it was anticipated that the process would be completed and the national framework agreement would be appointed in December. It said the framework agreement would facilitate drawdown by mini-tender competition, which would facilitate shortened process timeframes. It goes on to state that mini-tender competitions were tailored for each individual hospital.

I never saw such gobbledygook. Will the Taoiseach or the Minister knock heads together at the HSE? One would need a dictionary to understand the gobbledygook it sends out in its replies. They are all excuses for inaction while Clonmel hospital is at crisis point and has stopped taking admissions. It is asking people to go to their GPs as it cannot cope.

See this speech in context