Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I addressed my opening statement to the Minister, Deputy Harris. People will be shocked that the Minister is not here to respond to this Topical Issue matter, which was selected yesterday for discussion today. I expected the Minister to be here. Not only is he not here, he has not afforded the Minister of State, Deputy Daly, the courtesy of giving him a script to read on his behalf. Shame on the Minister, Deputy Harris, for treating the Oireachtas Members of County Laois in such a manner. I do not have an ego, but I represent 85,000 people who live in County Laois and the surrounding counties. I have never encountered this treatment before.

Approximately 40,000 people visit the accident and emergency department each year. On 17 April 2018, in a written reply to a parliamentary question, the Minister said that he would engage in a consultation process with local GPs. In September 2018, well over a year ago, he told me that the process for that consultation had been agreed and an external facilitator was to be appointed. That has not happened. Nothing the Minister has said to date has happened. I note the Minister of State is being provided with a script. If it is related to this matter, it is welcome, belatedly.

My opening statement on this Topical Issue matter is verbatim my opening statement on a Topical Issue Matter on this issue on 19 April 2018, which means I have been raising this issue for 20 months and the Minister has done nothing but add to the uncertainty by not resolving the issue. This uncertainty is damaging the hospital and public confidence in it. It is also preventing staff taking up positions in the hospital. I reiterate my invitation to the Minister to visit Portlaoise hospital and to confirm that the accident and emergency department there will continue in operation. If the Minister was even to contemplate scaling down services, he would be adding to the already overcrowded accident and emergency departments in neighbouring counties in terms of trolley numbers and queues. The other hospitals could not possibly cater for additional people. The Minister needs to confirm that the services currently provided in Portlaoise hospital will continue to be provided, following which we can focus on the development of services into the future.

See this speech in context