Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I do not believe the people of Tipperary and their families will take much solace from the Taoiseach's answer. More than ten months ago, on 11 May 2018, the Taoiseach's colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, wrote to the chief officer of CHO area 5 outlining the need to restore some acute bed provision for adults in Tipperary following the closure of St. Michael's unit. We cannot manage without these beds. The Taoiseach said A Vision for Change is working but it is not and it is three years past its report date of ten years. It has been a disaster for Tipperary. It is a black hole instead of a vision. The Taoiseach can mention the children's hospital all he likes but we will see where it ends up. People do not have the services. They cannot get access to Kilkenny. It is not that they are not wanted there but there is not enough room there to deal with the Kilkenny and Carlow situation, not to mention the appalling vista I mentioned. There are clearly no services in south Tipperary and very few in north Tipperary. To be sent to Kilkenny or Ennis from north Tipperary is an appalling vista. The Taoiseach cannot allow it to go on. Long-stay beds will have to be reinstated in St. Michael's unit or somewhere else.

We do not want every building, such as St. Luke's and St. Michael's former psychiatric unit in Clonmel, to be used for offices and storage. We want facilities that people can attend. Nurses and clinical advisers working in this area are burnt out. Psychologists are now trying to deal with this issue. Unfortunately, many patients are ending up in their graves. It is a terrible indictment of the Government and of A Vision for Change and anything to do with it.

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