Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for some of the clarification given. On 4 September there was a leak and on 13 September there was a further leak. This facility is a centre of excellence serving nearly 1 million people, if we take in the catchment under Saolta from Letterkenny down to Galway, as well as patients who come from County Clare, which is outside the area. This is a centre of excellence serving 1 million people but a roof is leaking in Merlin Park hospital, where the waiting list was extraordinarily high in the first place. The figures are absent from this response. How many procedures have been put off? How many patients have been affected? Surely this is the most basic thing that should be communicated, together with a full apology. The capacity of the university hospital is number one on the risk register. I shall repeat that; the capacity of the regional hospital, which apparently is in a better state than Merlin Park hospital, is number one on the risk register, as compiled by the hospital. This is why a new hospital in Galway is being sought. Then there is Merlin Park hospital, with extraordinary outpatient lists and people who are in pain. I have only read out one example. I want to work with the Government and I want to champion public health services but this does not help in any way. The HSE could have explained that 1,000 or 500 or 200 patients were waiting and it could have set out what it intended to do and that it would only be a matter of a few weeks. The executive could have clarified that when the hospital was assessed in 2016 the leak was not apparent or was apparent but was ignored. These are basic communication skills in order that we can reassure people and not insult them. I do not mean the Minister of State is insulting them; I realise she is doing her best with this answer. I welcome the fact that the Minister is going to Galway.

Certainly, I would like further details on the contingency plan, what it means, where patients will be treated, how many will be treated and how long they will have to wait. They should also receive a full apology from the Health Service Executive.

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