Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I do not know why the Tánaiste cannot answer the question I asked. I accept that he does not have up-to-date information on St. Brigid's but I asked why a hospital that was deemed to be suitable for Covid patients last March was deemed unsuitable for any overnight patients in November. That is a simple question. I also ask that Ministers and the HSE stop sending out letters that are untrue. I do not want to use the word "lies" but it is untrue to say that Clogheen is available because it has now been designated as a Covid hospital, which is a pity.

The Tánaiste spoke about trolleys and referred to the national figures. I salute those on the front line, including the nursing staff and deplore the way they have been blackguarded with regard to vaccines and so forth. However, the hospitals are empty or have capacity because the fear of God has been put into the people by RTÉ and by the Tánaiste himself. He appeared on Claire Byrne's show the other night and told the people that they are going to be locked up forever. Fear has been instilled in people, which is having an effect on their mental health. That is why the hospitals do not have people in them like every other year. People are afraid of their lives. They cannot go to their GPs in my area and can only speak to them over the phone. They are sent straight in for a Covid test, which is why we have such a high number of tests. Fear is stalking the land. That is why the hospitals have spare capacity, although I am glad they have capacity. That said, the Government wasted eight or nine months when it did not build additional ICU capacity.

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