Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have read the reply but it does not outline why the decision was made to go ahead and then cancel. The information I have suggests there is insufficient capacity to cope with clinical requirements. The service is not compliant with Department of Health infection guidelines. There is a shortage of capacity to deliver high-dependency dialysis in the region. I could go on. This represents an unacceptable clinical risk to patients and increases costs, with funding being diverted to the private sector. The contents of the reply do not add up. The situation is resulting in an increase of inappropriate use of intensive care unit beds.

We need to get our act together. I know the Minister for Health has been to the hospital and has looked at the dialysis unit. Anyone who has visited the hospital would argue that the service is insufficient and not up to standard. The staff are doing great work but it is clear that this unit has seen its day. I am concerned about cross-infection. If the unit is not compliant with Department of Health infection guidelines, then there is a responsibility on us to move ahead.

I accept that the Minister of State does not have the answer to when this will proceed. She referred to plans for the future. Does that mean next year or this year? Will it be in ten or 20 years? The Department plan for the future is mapped out over a long period of decades. When is this plan going ahead for a new dialysis unit, one clearly needed in Tallaght and the regional health area, which covers Laois, the midlands, Wicklow and so on. I trust the Minister of State has some sort of reply for me. This matter needs to be addressed. This is an ongoing difficulty which impacts on patients, their families and the staff of the hospital and it needs to be resolved now rather than later.

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