Kevin O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for her reply. As I said previously, the response is glamorous but it does not solve the problem. The Minister of State has said that there has been a problem in Fermoy since September but the problem did not start then. The HSE would have been aware that a problem was going to arise well before September 2017. I do not want to be seen to be repeating myself. In that context, the Minister of State was here on the previous occasion when I raised this matter. She promised then that she would ask the Minister to get back to me with more constructive answers but I have heard nothing. I have been in communication with the HSE on the matter in the meantime and have received various different answers. At one point, the HSE, in a rushed response - the Ceann Comhairle may recall this - referred to five days but forgot about the other two days in a week.

As I indicated earlier, this is having a knock-on effect throughout north Cork. It is jeopardising other families who have access to other community hospitals in the area. Previously, these families were getting more than the minimum respite period because they were able to avail of respite at other facilities but now they are being restricted. If families cannot get a GP to go with their loved ones to the respite care unit in Fermoy, the HSE diverts them to Mallow or, in some instances, to other nursing homes. Questions arise in this context too because many families send their loved ones to nursing homes at their own expense. Those nursing homes often have more beds than community hospitals but are not required to provide full medical officer cover. Why is the requirement for such cover so rigorously enforced for community hospitals? Ironically, SouthDoc is situated on the same driveway as Fermoy Community Hospital. SouthDoc has a resident doctor available 24-7. Why can the HSE not liaise with SouthDoc when locums cannot fulfil their temporary contracts?

See this speech in context