Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I do not accept that. Why are we sending somebody on a trip of 100 miles or 150 miles to an acute hospital before sending that person back? Covid-19 was in Mayo University Hospital as well. Yesterday we had the example of a 95-year-old man who could have been catheterised by a GP and admitted to Belmullet hospital in his local area but instead he was forced to go to Mayo University Hospital, where he took up an acute bed. It was completely unnecessary.

In the hospital itself the X-ray, chiropody and physiotherapy services have been cut. In Erris we believe Covid-19 is being used as an excuse to shut all the services. Belmullet had 40 beds before the Deputy's party cut that number in half. Now the Government is coming along again to cut that number. The only thing that will convince us in Erris that the Government is in any way genuine about us having a hospital and services in the area is if capital is put into them. Doing that will give us the hospital we need in the area.

I ask the Minister to be honest with us. This is like death by a thousand cuts so please be honest with us about what is going on.

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