Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. In regard to the 90 year old gentleman who, as I said, is currently on a five-hour journey to west Cork having had his operation carried out in Kingsbridge Hospital, Belfast, why is it not possible to have procedures of that type carried out in Cork or, at least in the South of Ireland? Why can our health service not treat our elderly in the same way as they can be treated in the North? Some 25 days on from when the first contact was made with Kingsbridge Hospital, the gentleman concerned has had his operation.

In regard to Bandon Community Hospital and Bantry General Hospital, I urge the Taoiseach to speak to the Minister for Health about the issue I have raised. These are two excellent centres and they need to be open to the public. We need to know the surgical unit in Bantry General Hospital is safe. Can the Taoiseach assure me today that services at the surgical unit will not be cut back and that there will be no closure of services at Bantry General Hospital, which provides treatment in a catchment area of up to 90,000 people?

As I said earlier, health care is at an all-time low. Terminally ill patients are begging for medical cards, home help hours are being cut to the bare minimum and some carers must wait months on end for their payments to come through. Often persons have passed away before a carer's allowance application has been approved. This lack of care and compassion for our elderly is unacceptable. This is all happening on the Taoiseach's watch.

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