Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge the positives in the approach taken by the HSE on the maternity hospital in Portlaoise and, as has been mentioned, this has resulted in significant improvements. The same positive attitude now needs to be demonstrated towards the emergency department to bring it up to service. A sustainable hospital can only exist if it has sustainable resources and adequate staff to provide the required care. The biggest difficulty in Portlaoise in the past 12 months was the statement by the HSE regional managers who have sought to downgrade the hospital. This has damaged the confidence of the public towards the hospital because the suggestion that accident and emergency services might be reduced has resulted in people not wanting to take up employment there. It is damaging to the morale of existing staff and, above all, it is damaging to the quality of service people feel they will get if they go into hospital. The HSE needs to fundamentally change its attitude. If it does not, I will demand that the Minister does it for it.

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