Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. I welcome his confirmation that the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, will work with us on the CoAction issue in Castletownbere. This is a very serious and upsetting issue for many of the families. I did not break the news for nearly two weeks until I got no reply from CoAction as to what is going on there and as to why they are closing the residential homes. For the Taoiseach's own information, I was well aware of what was going on at Bantry General Hospital.

The HSE was aware of it for three years. Does the Taoiseach not know that? The HSE knew for three years that this was coming. The consultants at the hospital have told us that. These are the facts.

I am well aware of what is going on in Bantry General Hospital; it is at my back door. I respect the staff who work there. I do not respect the way the HSE let down the people and left the hospital closed. The Taoiseach stated he knew about it but he was invited to the protest every day of the crisis. He should have stood with the people and that is where his voice should have been heard, but he failed the people. The same is true in the case of SouthDoc. The HSE reverted last week to say the issue relating to SouthDoc in Castletownbere had been resolved, but it lasted two days and collapsed. There is no SouthDoc service there by night.

There is a failure. The Taoiseach can praise the staff all he likes. There are great staff on the ground and the ambulance staff are second to none, but the bottom line is the problems in this country are at the top. There is overpaid management, with layers that collapse continually, and the Taoiseach is in denial. He is trying to say he knew about this issue every day of the week, but 16 days of admission were closed at a local hospital. If that had happened in Dublin, there would have been a national outcry. It would not have lasted even for hours.

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