Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. She is right that it is unacceptable that a ward would be closed and that we would not be communicated with on it so that we would know how many beds were closed. I do not know today how many beds have reopened other than I have been told the ward is open. I will find out for the Deputy. When we talk about spin and everything else, I know the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, takes this role seriously, so much so that he paid a surprise visit to the accident and emergency department in University Hospital Galway last Thursday night week. He walked right through it unannounced because he wants to see it operational as the Deputy and I hear about daily from our constituents. I have to thank him for paying that flying visit, unannounced, to see what our accident and emergency department is like.

The Deputy is right that the accident and emergency department is one of the issues that takes over our headlines regularly, as is the women's and maternity side of the hospital. I am glad to see the ward is open but I will be twice as happy when I know it is open to full capacity. People entering the gynaecological side of University Hospital Galway are going there for various reasons and there are various levels of trauma from which we need to protect each woman who is passing through it. It could be a woman getting the good news she is pregnant, it could be a woman in for a 12-week scan, it could be a lady who is experiencing the loss of a baby or it could be other ladies who have gone in for many other issues. We need to ensure the hospital works to maximise the supports for women who are entering it. I will get the Deputy an answer on whether the ward is open to full capacity.

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