Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

With respect, funding was not flagged as an issue. The Minister of State wishes to give himself a pat on the back for the great job he and the Government are doing, but he would be wrong to do so. We have been informed that two basic and vital services will be withdrawn from our towns. The Minister of State did not address that issue or the fact that the review to which he referred was not independent. Apart from general practitioners, no one was consulted and Midoc and the HSE learned of it at a later stage. The Minister of State did not address the crucial issues.

I found deeply worrying a statement made by the Minister in a reply to a parliamentary question that he is statute barred from engaging in the process initiated by the HSE to review the delivery of health services. He is the Minister for Health. As public representatives, we are the first line of communication between our constituents, as patients, and the Minister. All of us are committed to mechanisms to achieve the best clinical outcomes for every patient, wherever they are in the country but particularly the most vulnerable and isolated citizens. The Minister should note that these closures will not be accepted. He must find an immediate solution and establish an independent review.

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