Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The motion came about because of the staggering, almost breathtaking incompetence demonstrated by the overspend on the national children's hospital project. The knock-on effect of the overspend is that vital services and projects have been abandoned or delayed. However, it is actually a much bigger issue than the children's hospital. Over 700,000 people are waiting on waiting lists for a hospital appointment and the Government is happy to stand over this. Urgent referrals for child and adolescent mental health services across the State, including County Louth, face a waiting time of three months and there is no out-of-hours service available, over which the Government is happy to stand. Hospital consultants are working for far fewer hours than they are contracted for in the public system. As a result, patients are waiting forever to be seen. The Government is also happy to stand over this. There was €9 million spent on agency staff in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital alone last year. The Government was happy to stand over this. It is also happy to stand over the unaccountable quango that is the HSE which was set up by its Fianna Fáil buddies like Tweedledum and Tweedledee. The Government stands over the closing down of public long-term care services and pushing elderly people into private nursing homes that are double charging them for basic services and therapies that they are fully entitled to receive free of charge under the medical card scheme. The plans for the second X-ray room at the emergency centre of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital have been pulled. The Government is happy to stand over this. It is the services and the people who are suffering because of the Government's incompetence. Anyone of sound mind could not have confidence in the Minister, given his track record.

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