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

I thank the Minister of State but I still do not believe this is not being used as an excuse. We have excellent staff in Belmullet hospital and it has the required facilities. We needed some minor works done and it has taken over a year to recruit staff for that. There is a line of matters that are unacceptable. Why is the eye clinic finished at Belmullet and what excuse is there for it? There is always one excuse after another given for services not being provided in the area.

This runs completely against the concepts in Sláintecare, as the Minister of State knows. I know we are living in different times but it makes no sense whatever to take out all these services. The Minister of State mentioned carers earlier but there is no respite or clapping for them. It is not the case that their shift will finish at 8 p.m. and their work is 24-7. The Government has nothing to offer the people of Erris when it comes to health services. We are undermining GPs. Why do we not have proper testing and tracing in order that we can make referrals to the hospital? I ask the Minister of State to ask the Minister to look at this again.

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