Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill. The HSE was established in 2005. In 2013, a directorate governance structure was put in place for the HSE as a temporary measure until the latter's functions could be moved elsewhere. Under the health reform programme, this directorate structure has remained in place for longer than planned. The Government states that this is because of the complexities of the health reform programme. However, I argue that it is down to poor management of our health service by the Government.

The Joint Committee on Health recommended in its Sláintecare report that an independent board for the HSE be established. The Sláintecare report is intended to be a ten-year programme to transform our health and social care services. It promises to prevent illness in our population. Where can the Minister of State demonstrate that this is happening in our society? I have begged the Government to make the FreeStyle Libre device for people with diabetes reimbursable for all patients with the condition. I welcome the fact that the Government has listened to some of what I have requested and that this device has been reimbursed for diabetic patients between the ages of four and 21. This is not sufficient, however. It is estimated that over 15,600 people over the age of 80 suffer from diabetes. If the Minister were serious about promoting the health of our population, he would extend the current reimbursement for the FreeStyle Libre service to be included in the long-term illness scheme to all patients with diabetes.

I cannot go without mentioning the battle that children such as Ava Barry had to suffer to get access to life-changing medicinal cannabis. Medicinal cannabis has been legalised in more than ten European countries, in Canada and Australia and in 30 US states. We need to seriously consider legalising medicinal cannabis for sick children and adults in order to improve the quality of life of those suffering seizures and chronic pain. The battle that Vera Twomey had to fight in order to get medicinal cannabis for her daughter, Ava, was unnecessary. This mother had enough on her plate without having to fight the State and the Minister for Health.

The HSE claims to provide the majority of care close to home. Since I was elected, I have called on the Government time and again to address the serious issue of caring for our elderly either at home or in nursing homes under the fair deal scheme. Carers are waiting between three and six months, in some cases longer, to get their payments. It is outrageous that these people are expected to survive on no money until their payments finally come through.

West Cork is home to the largest population of elderly people in Ireland. These individuals are waiting to get into respite care. We need extra beds for respite and waiting times need to be reduced. I would love to see a system whereby care is provided on the basis of need. I do not see any semblance of this in our health system. I have advocated for years to keep Bantry General Hospital open. I and others lobbied the previous Government not to close the 24-hour accident and emergency department there. Unfortunately, it did not listen and waiting lists are now getting longer and longer. That frustrates me.

One of the key points of the Sláintecare report relates to the creation of a system whereby care will be provided on the basis of need rather than ability to pay. This is fooling the people into thinking that the Government will deliver on its promise. The Government is running the health service inefficiently and codding the people into thinking that it is trying to do better. I want to see real action and I want rural hospitals such as that in Bantry to operate to their full potential.

Another lovely promise that has been made relates to the provision of a service especially for those who need it most. How can members of the Government look people in the eye and expect them to believe that this will happen? We have been hearing promises of this sort for donkey's years but there is no real delivery in respect of them. In west Cork alone, many people have been waiting for cataract operations for up to five years. Many of these people are elderly. To date, Deputy Danny Healy-Rae and I have taken 20 busloads of people for cataract procedures. I have a list of up to 100 people in my office and I have spent most of the day working to try to get cataract, hip and knee operations and all sorts of other procedures for them in Northern Ireland. Those operations and procedures could be out at Bantry General Hospital. A cataract operation takes approximately 15 minutes. The Government is failing in its duty of care for people by allowing them go to another jurisdiction for these simple procedures.

The programme for Government promises "the most fundamental reform of our health services in the history of the State". The Government needs to face the reality that people and healthcare professionals do not believe our health system is working. Our nurses and psychiatric nurses are deeply unhappy, and with good cause. The Government needs to listen to these nurses because there is no doubt regarding the need for change in the health service. We need to see real action now.

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