Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I must go back to the issue of capacity in our hospitals and to a question I put to the Taoiseach previously that he refused to answer. I refer to the closure of St. Brigid's hospital, Carrick-on-Suir, a wonderful facility that is over 200 years old. HIQA has deemed it unsuitable. However, it was deemed suitable for use as a Covid-19 hospital by HIQA at the beginning of the pandemic. If it was deemed suitable for Covid patients, how is it not suitable now for providing respite and palliative care? It is a 14-bed hospital, with three palliative care beds and wonderful staff. The hospital has enjoyed huge buy-in from the community and huge support. Indeed, much of the equipment in it was provided by local community fundraising efforts in three counties, namely, south Tipperary, south Kilkenny and east Waterford. The Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Butler, has refused to meet Councillors Kieran Bourke and David Dunne, the action committee or the staff, the excellent nurses and doctors associated with the hospital. She has point-blank refused to meet them. I ask the Tánaiste, as a member of a partnership Government, to ensure that the Minister of State meets the people to whom I refer.

I have received a letter from the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, who is a neighbour from down the road. Her own constituents use this hospital, which flies in the face of what she is doing. The letter states that another wonderful facility, St. Theresa's hospital, Clogheen, and nursing homes have been booked for step-down and respite care but that is simply untrue. Last Thursday, Covid patients were admitted to St. Theresa's hospital, Clogheen, and all other patients were moved out, under the supervision and management of its wonderful matron, Ms Walsh, and her team. There have been no negotiations with private nursing homes.

We are told that a new hospital would cost €5 million to €6 million and I want that examined. I want an independent arbitrator to evaluate what is wrong with St. Brigid's and how much it would cost to put it right in order to reach HIQA standards. This was done in Clogheen two years ago. An excellent job was done, with six-bed wards converted to four-bed wards. There is room for an extension on site and there is also room to build a new hospital on site.

The Minister of State refers to a diabetic clinic in St. Brigid's but a huge monstrosity has already been built by the HSE. It is meant to be a primary care centre but it is not functioning properly. It is two-thirds empty and a diabetic clinic could be located there. I want answers from the Tánaiste today. The people want to know how much it would cost to make the hospital HIQA-compliant. Other hospitals that got worse reports from HIQA were commandeered for Covid-19 and have now reverted to normal hospitals. There is something vindictive going on with regard to St. Brigid's. The Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, and the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, must meet the staff and the action committee to explain what is happening. Something is not right here. We are not getting the full truth or even half of it. This is an excellent facility and the palliative care beds therein are badly needed. There are only two palliative care beds in Clogheen and none at all in Clonmel. Palliative care beds are badly needed in the south east of Tipperary. Clogheen is now off the radar because it is being used as a Covid-19 step-down facility. St. Brigid's in Carrick-on-Suir was available for that purpose but the HSE decided to close it in the middle of a pandemic. Talk about iillogical. This strange and bizarre decision is totally unacceptable and it will not be accepted.

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