Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise a very important matter relating to the diabetes clinic at Portlaoise hospital, which services a very large area not just in County Laois but also Offaly, north Tipperary and south Kildare. Currently it is blocked from providing full services and it cannot provide insulin pump services because there is no adult dietician in place for the adult clinic, which is required for it to function fully.

I have spoken to staff and some of the families affected by this. There is a wonderful children's diabetes clinic at the site but unfortunately diabetes has become very prevalent. We must deal with that and prevention is better than cure but we must also deal with the here and now. A high number of people suffer from diabetes in this country and although we must get better at prevention, this is where we are. There are hundreds of adults and children attending the Portlaoise clinic. I hear nothing but praise about the children's clinic but, unfortunately, the adult facilities do not provide full services. There are also many teenagers caught in a position where they should be transferring to adult services but cannot do so; they have come of age but the service is not there so they cannot move on.

People are currently travelling to Dublin for insulin pump services and many are paying for a private service. Some of the people are on low incomes from work or a mixture of work and social welfare. It is putting huge financial pressure on families. The Minister of State understands community care as well as the Minister for Health because of her interest in these matters. I know we cannot have a service at every crossroads but we must regionalise services and ensure we have a strong range of services because where people can access them, they are more inclined to use them.

This is really important and my understanding is the hospital management has made the case on no fewer than three occasions in the recent past to try to get an appointment to the post. I hear the Minister of State is responsible for good news and she had some earlier for Deputy Murnane O'Connor. This is one post and it is important that diabetes is treated properly.

The families had a protest outside the hospital last Sunday week, that is how strongly they feel about this. They have conveyed to me in no uncertain terms that this must be sorted out. The hospital staff and management are on board with this request. Portlaoise hospital is making good strides and there is new investment going in, which is all to be welcomed. I always complain when something does not happen but I will always acknowledge when something does, and that is important. We must recognise what is happening and the new respiratory assessment unit will be great when it is built with the other facilities. This piece is missing from the adult services for diabetes.

As I said, there was a protest last Sunday week, on 14 November. If we can get this over the line it would be really good for the area, not just in Laois but the surrounding counties as well.

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