Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I also received that letter this morning at 10.38. Obviously, the hospital knew this case was going to be raised today. I do not think it is acceptable. This is an arse-covering exercise as far as I can see because the hospital had plenty of time from 29 January 2018, which was when I put in the question. The Minister for Health knew about this two weeks ago. Are we saying that patients have to wait for consultants at the consultants' call? Two operations have been cancelled while there has been no contact with the patient to date and we are talking about it taking place in three months' time. Are we saying that this consultant is the only consultant who can do this surgery? If that is the case, the HSE is in trouble. If the consultant died tomorrow, and I would not wish it on the man, what would happen then? Are we saying there is no other consultant there to do it? This is an emergency case. She is a priority. If it cannot be done here within a reasonable period of time, not three months because something else could happen in three months' time, we should bring some expert over from London or Europe to carry out this surgery. Would the Tánaiste accept waiting for four years? Would he accept his daughter walking around in severe pain for four years? It is not acceptable and the health service should be able to respond and service its patients.

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