Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Sorry, Chair, can I finish my contribution here? There are GPs saying it is right and GPs saying it is wrong. Let us tease this through. We want to make the right decision. Most of us in here want to do the right thing for health, not for politics. Is the capacity elsewhere? Is the ambulance service in place to accommodate this? Will it ever be in place? Have we got guarantees as to what the ambulance cover will be? Are the extra ambulances and personnel, including paramedics, in place and ready? We need guarantees about the future of other services in Navan hospital, orthopaedic service and so on. Is there investment guaranteed to do that? We have to have guarantees we will not be like Limerick, Roscommon, Mallow or any place that had to wait to get services. We know what happened with Dundalk and Drogheda. That cannot happen again. It is about timing. Behind all that, we have to work out if this is right. Let us have the medical conversation and listen to those who look after our patients, not the politicians but the doctors, both those who are for and against. Then we will be able to make a proper informed decision.

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