Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The problem we have is the overrun in the national children's hospital and all of these capital projects we are told are now going to be put on hold. There is no specific information on which projects will be affected yet but we are all concerned. St. Patrick's Hospital in Carrick-on-Shannon and Shiel Hospital in Ballyshannon are both new hospitals and have been announced, expected and celebrated in press releases and photocalls by the Minister and his colleagues. Many capital developments are due to take place in Sligo University Hospital. There were also lots of photocalls, etc., but the Government should show us the money and the building. When are these projects going to happen?

We are worried about the level of autopilot and commentary from the Government. I do not mean that personally, but that is how this looks. We want leadership from the Minister and the Taoiseach. They should show us the money and tell us the facts. We certainly do not want the kind of autopilot that seems to be at play in the context of the national children's hospital. It appears that will have an adverse impact on the provision of a cath lab for the people of the north west. There is none there at the moment. Some 550 people a year, treated at the moment at a cost of €10.6 million to the Exchequer, are being shipped to Galway for treatment. The cost to rent the temporary truck that wheels in two days each week is €3.6 million, as the Minister mentioned. If that money was banked, it would make much more sense to finance a cath lab and put the staff in place as well.

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