Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I raise with the Taoiseach an issue regarding a former Waterford health centre. It is a rural general medical practice on the borders of Tipperary and Waterford. The HSE carried out a recruitment process and selected a general practitioner back in July. We were told on 18 September that it would only be a matter of days before we would have an appointment there. Luckily, we have 1,700 patients and a thriving practice there. A total of four GPs applied for this practice so it is not the case that we cannot get them. Thankfully we can.

The HSE is foot-dragging and fooling. It beggars belief that it has €17 billion of a budget and this is the way those responsible treat a rural community with 1,700 patients in a lucrative practice. We cannot get clarity. We get emails from week to week about the contract being signed but it is not being signed. There is major uncertainty for the patients.

I wish to add that the staff there do excellent work. This is hard on everyone. It is typical of the HSE passing the buck.

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