Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

My question is for the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly. On Friday, 8 April, staff at the minor injuries unit in Cashel were told the unit would be closed from the following Monday because of the inability to replace a doctor who had left because of the low pay. After hearing this, we made inquiries. Fair play to the HSE in that we were told the unit would open fairly quickly, which it did, but last week I found myself having to make inquiries again because the unit is now open for only two out of five days because of the pay issue. The HSE states it has a problem finding a doctor to take on the full-time role. This is happening at a time when our emergency departments, especially those in Limerick and Clonmel, which service Tipperary, are under severe pressure. We see how pay issues are forcing the medical scientists to go on strike. What is being done to ensure units like the one in question will not fall victim to problems over pay and subsequent difficulties in securing staff? Could I please get a straight answer from the Minister today?

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