Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I do not know how to express my disappointment at the Taoiseach's reply. Two theatres have been out of action since September of last year. The Taoiseach has been repeating the same type of response for the past number of months. A clinical review has been carried out. The clinical review has said the current design does not meet current surgical standards which begs the question why it was not done prior to the repairs instead of after. We are looking at modular theatres which were supposed to be a temporary measure but they will not be in place 13 months after the water poured in. How can the Taoiseach stand over the situation in Galway? We were led to believe in October at a meeting convened under pressure by the Minister for Health that it would be sorted out. Beds in the hospital in University Hospital Galway were reopened. Why were beds closed on St. Finbar's orthopaedic ward in a hospital that is bursting at the seams when beds can suddenly be opened to facilitate Merlin Park University Hospital? We are also discovering that another solution is to open an old theatre in Merlin Park.

Every time we get an answer we get a different one. The answer the Taoiseach gave us was given months ago, and the repairs were completed months ago.

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