Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Like my colleague, Deputy Cullinane, I wish to discuss the Saolta hospital group and, in particular, Mayo University Hospital. Mayo University Hospital is in a deep crisis at present, both in terms of the 15,000 people who are waiting for treatment there and in terms of access to the emergency department. People are waiting for hours without treatment. It is not good enough in this day and age. It is not good enough to say that we spend X amount of money. There must be accountability within the system. We also need the resources to be targeted. We have built enormous primary care centres, even in parts of Mayo, yet people cannot have access to a general practitioner, GP, or to proper healthcare. Something has gone badly wrong. There must be capital investment in Mayo University Hospital. There is no point in telling us it will happen in 2024 or 2025. There has not been capital investment in Belmullet hospital as well and that is obviously having a knock-on effect on step-down services for Mayo University Hospital.

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