Dáil debates

Tuesday, 24 October 2017

3:30 pm

Photo of Brian StanleyBrian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I want to raise with the Minister the commitments listed on page 5 of the programme for Government in respect of health in the context of prioritising increased access to safe and timely care as close to patients' homes as possible. The emergency department at Portlaoise hospital, which had almost 40,000 presentations last year, is to be closed according to the report which I have in my possession and which is due to be discussed tomorrow. It is authored by Dr. Susan O'Reilly, the head of the Dublin Midlands hospital group. The numbers attending Portlaoise hospital, including people from south Kildare, Laois and east Offaly, continue to increase. The report is due to be signed off tomorrow. The Minister for Health knows about it because he has had a similar report on his desk for the past 12 months. The full report was supposed to be released in September 2015 but we have not yet seen it. I plead with the Minister to discuss the matter with the Minister for Health this afternoon and to ensure that the report goes into the shredder.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.