Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister replied quite recently to a question I tabled to tell me a decision will only be taken based on the outcome of the mini tender. Is the mini tender finished or has it become a major tender? How could any mini tender take so long? The HSE uses a particular vocabulary. The Taoiseach has talked about his new scriptwriter or historian or whatever. The Department of Health could get rid of half the speechwriters and scriptwriters it has for using multisyllabic words in the HSE to confuse people. The Minister saw Cashel. The HSE has no intention of placing patients in Cashel. It is a patient-free area, full stop. It is only being used for staff, as I said to the Minister before. It is an emporial fiefdom for the people in there. They do not want any patients in there. The Minister was there and I know he was shocked to see the condition and the splendour of the unit, the chronic pressure on South Tipperary General Hospital down the road in Clonmel, which he visited afterwards, and the palatial rooms, offices and suites of furniture in Cashel, and to hell with the patient. It is sickening, it is a disgrace, and he is not doing anything about it. I am glad he is back in his job. I will be holding him to account. He can tell Deputy Lowry whatever dúirt bean liom go ndúirt bean léi stories he likes but he will not tell them to me. I will not take them at face value and go announcing a patient hotel that was supposed to be in place last October. We have not even got the bed linen, not to mind the hotel. We have not got the pillowcases and there are no staff to dress the beds anyway.

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