Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I commend my colleague, Deputy Johnny Guirke, on bringing this motion forward. It is not an exaggeration to say that I have literally lost count of the number of constituents who come into my offices telling me the health and hospital services are stumbling from crisis to catastrophe. As the two-tier system has become very much entrenched in healthcare, we now have that very clear delineation between private and public. Coupled with this, we have the undervaluing of hospitals' accident and emergency departments, such as that in Our Lady's Hospital in Navan, which are failing people when they are most in need of urgent care. For years, people throughout the State have had to march, lobby, campaign, write letters and take to social media in an effort to save their services in their hospitals and in their accident and emergency departments. This is all against the perceived dismantling of healthcare services.

In June 2022 my neighbouring constituents in County Meath are campaigning to save their accident and emergency department in Navan, and not for the first time. The Minister need not think that some of them are going to come across to Mullingar. In January 2021, there were 75.5 whole-time equivalent vacancies. As of June 2022, that figure has skyrocketed to 125.42 whole-time equivalent vacancies in Mullingar hospital. The patients could use the waiting lists as wallpaper. Waiting times in accident and emergency departments are through the roof and staff are at the end of their tether.

That is before we even get to disability intervention therapy services or respite care, which has carers and loved ones so distressed and disillusioned they are literally in tears. Has this become so commonplace that the Minister and Members of Government are utterly unaffected by the sight of distressed citizens taking to the streets with placards in an attempt to save the hospital services on which they rely? There is no doubt that successive Governments have done a merry dance, which this Government seems to be perfecting. The people of Navan deserve so much more than this, as does every person with an urgent medical need in this country.

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