Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Fáiltím roimh an deis a bheith páirteach sa díospóireacht seo. Gabhaim buíochas le Sinn Féin. Tá an t-ábhar seo agus an rún seo thar a bheith tábhachtach. Baineann sé le cúrsaí sláinte, le heaspa foirne agus leis an gcruachás ina bhfuil ár seirbhísí sláinte faoi láthair. Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil croí an Aire Stáit san áit cheart agus go bhfuil a dícheall á dhéanamh aici chuile lá. Níl aon amhras faoi sin ach tá géarchéim ann le fada an lá. Ní dóigh liom gurb é "géarchéim" an focal ceart i ndáiríre mar tá sé ann chomh fada sin. Tá sé deacair glacadh leis. Is é sin an fáth go raibh coiste traspháirtí i gceist agus is é sin an fáth gur foilsíodh tuarascáil chun dul i ngleic leis na fadhbanna ar bhonn córasach ionas nach mbeidh muid anseo chuile sheachtain ag gearán faoi chomh dona is atá rudaí ar an talamh. Táim ag smaoineamh ar Ghaillimh agus tiocfaidh mé ar ais go dtí na pointí ginearálta. Inniu, bhí 46 duine ar thralaithe i nGaillimh, Ina measc siúd, bhí 16 páiste. Cúpla lá ó shin, bhí 54 othar ar thralaithe. Níl aon athrú ann ach, b'fhéidir, figiúr beag. Tá an fhadhb chéanna ann lá i ndiaidh lae de bharr na géarchéime atá ann agus de bharr easpa tola ar leibhéal an chórais chun dul i ngleic leis an bhfadhb i mbealach inmharthana, bealach atá tuillte ag gach duine sa tír. Tá sé tuillte againn seirbhís sláinte a bheith againn mar bhuncheart.

I have thanked Sinn Féin and I will not repeat my thanks. It is a very important motion. I look at it in the context of Galway, as we all look at matters in the context of our constituencies when we stand up here, but I will also make some general points.

On the very first day I was elected and Independent Members were negotiating for an extra facility in Waterford or Wexford, I made the point that a heartbeat there is equally as important as a heartbeat in Galway and that we are not here to fight our corner. Rather we are here to provide public services, hold the system to account and ensure every single county has the appropriate services.

We are far from that in Galway, even though it is often said we are the centre of excellence for cancer care services. We serve a population of almost 1 million people from Donegal down. We have a system that is creaking at the seams. The previous clinical director in the hospital, whose name escapes me – perhaps it would not be appropriate to name the person in any event – was on the record as saying he could not stand over any more cutbacks because they were simply too dangerous and a threat to patient safety. That person has gone on to different things, but the situation has not changed.

On a general level, we need a proper plan. We have so many problems, assets and solutions that it is sometimes very difficult to make decisions. I am sure the Minister of State finds it difficult, given her hands-on approach. Merlin Park University Hospital comprises 150 acres. We have what I would describe as a higgledy-piggledy development of further services without an overall master plan. One would think we would have learned our lesson from the congested regional site, but we have not. We are still progressing in that manner, notwithstanding the fact I and various colleagues here put pressure on the system in respect of the publication of the options report. We got an options report which recommended a brand new hospital in Merlin Park in Galway. Theoretically, that is a wonderful idea. However, we went ahead with bits and pieces.

I spoke about the analogy of the Russian dolls and a temporary accident and emergency department within a temporary building, with a view to having an accident and emergency department in 2026. If my memory serves me correctly, that was almost the same spriocdháta, or time, that we would have built a new hospital in Merlin Park. That is the background and system.

I have a letter here which outlines why hospitals, nurses and staff are under pressure. I have always been uncomfortable with standing up and clapping, and I regret that. It was something I joined in with. We should have paid tribute to everybody. The cleaners and porters in hospitals should be at the top of the list when we thank anyone, along with the nursing staff and doctors. When we distinguish, we divide. We need to give meaning to the phrase "We are all in this together". If we are all in this together, let us look at all of the analyses and reports we have received.

The hospital in Galway is under pressure for many reasons. It is too old and congested. On top of that, there are people in hospital who should not be there. I received an answer as Gaeilge. I do not often thank the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, but through his intercession we have received replies. The reply tells me that i lár na Gaeltachta i gConamara, in the middle of the Gaeltacht in Connemara, there are no respite services and day care at the moment, for different reasons. There is no day care because it is in the process of re-registering. We learned there has been no day care in the public facility since March 2019. I had to push and push, and the Minister got the reply for me and so on. That puts extraordinary pressure not just on the families who are caring for their loved ones but also on the hospital system.

The primary care system has caused great problems. It led to the departure of Deputy Shortall from the Labour Party because of the utter failure to roll out primary care in a just and fair manner. We are still in exactly the same, if not worse, spot. We are dealing with Covid. The motion is about nurses, a motion we could not but agree with.

What does the language mean when the Government says it does not disagree with the motion? There are five bullet points in the motion. One refers to the booster programme. I hear clearly that will be made available to staff if they wish to have it. The motion also calls for the Government to publish and act on the McHugh review. Is there a clear answer on that? Will the Government publish the McHugh report? Is that what it means when it says it accepts the motion? Is it waiving the registration and retention fees which are due?

The motion refers to engaging meaningfully and positively. I gather that is what the Government is going to do. I cannot see how the Government will wrap up mental health supports for healthcare workers, although I fully support that, because the state of mental health services inherited by the Minister of State is, as she knows, at an all-time low. We might come back to that on another day.

There have been repeated motions. I am grateful for the opportunity to discuss these issues, but these motions become tiresome to those listening to us because they ask us what the Government is doing. It took the Sinn Féin motion, the support of all of the Dáil and a protest outside today to find out that the Government is going to follow some of the recommendations.

I listened carefully when the Minister was speaking. How many recommendations were there? We do not know how many recommendations there are. When he tells us he is going to implement some of them, I would like to judge that. More importantly, the nurses and student nurses would like to judge that so that we can see it in context. What jumps out at me today in the INMO press release is the statement that, "Today’s demonstration is not just about the pay and conditions for student nurses and midwives – it is about the future of our healthcare system." This is about the future of our healthcare system and not just about pay and conditions, which need to change and be improved.

We can never go back to where we were. Climate catastrophe and Covid are facing us. We have repeatedly heard wonderful language from the spin doctors. I wish there were more people like the Minister of State who say it as it is. I have seen major changes with one or two Ministers, but the rest are resorting to spin.

We had a discussion last week on reconstructing and reconnecting, when really we should have been talking about human rights in respect of the Covid restrictions and so on. Language means nothing. The most frustrating thing for people and the most dangerous thing for democracy is when language means nothing. We will be on the side of the Minister of State because she is working hard. I might not agree with the ideology or certain things, but it is my job to set that out and say why.

I have listened to the debate and I hope the Minister of State brings some clarity to this. Is the McHugh report going to be published tomorrow? Will the fees be waived? What about the other requests? Is that the result of the motion, so that words and democracy mean something?

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