Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

The NRH provides incredibly important services in brain injury, spinal-cord injury, prosthetic and limb absence rehabilitation, as well as paediatric rehabilitation. The human consequences of not having these beds open are severe. Today, I spoke to Deputy Gino Kenny's constituent who contacted us about this issue. The individual’s daughter had a brain tumour and surgery in Temple Street hospital in April. She has been left with serious weakness on her left side and needs serious rehabilitation. However, she is now unable to go to the NRH for treatment because of the closed beds. Early intervention in serious situations such as this is important. This is the human consequence of this.

Will the Minister of State explain why we cannot recruit a consultant to provide the cover which will allow these beds to be reopened, given the suffering endured by people who really need it? We need an explanation.

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