Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

That is a very disappointing answer. The Minister of State is saying he will be able to respond on the specific operational matters raised when the consultant comes back to the hospital to deal with them. The issue is not about the consultant but the arrangement at the hospital. It is a management issue. There is no problem with what the consultants do or the clinical service they provide.

A number of companies throughout the country provide prosthetic services. They include Atlantic Prosthetic Orthotic Services, APOS, in Galway; Independent Disablement Services, IDS, in Dublin; Sota Prosthetics & Orthotics in Cork, as well as and others. They all provide an excellent service, but if patients need rehabilitation, particularly if they need to go to Dún Laoghaire for, say, a week, every excuse is found for why they cannot take them. That is the problem. There is a cosy little cartel and it needs to be dealt with quickly. There are patients throughout the country who endure the agony of losing a limb and then the mental torture of trying to deal with and work through that issue. They receive prosthetic limbs and must try to teach their bodies to cope with them. They find this difficult and there is both frustration and annoyance. The only way they can deal with it is by receiving intensive physiotherapy in some place like Dún Laoghaire. However, they are refused such services, unless they play by the rules set, which is totally inappropriate and wrong.

I appeal to the Minister of State to ensure this issue will be dealt with properly because it is simply unfair on the constituent with whom I am dealing. They having been looking to see whether they could go to Belfast or somewhere else to have the issue sorted out because the reality is that, for some reason or other, the people in Dún Laoghaire are slamming the door in the faces of Irish citizens who are taxpayers just like everyone else and deserve an equal service. This is not happening and not only is it unfair, it is also simply wrong. It is wrong that in this day and age people who are suffering in such a way are being let down by the State. They feel very let down. There are steps in this Chamber that we move up and down. Everywhere people with disabilities go, whether it be a restaurant or anywhere else, they face all of these difficulties. The least we can do is ensure there are adequate rehabilitation services available for them.

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