Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is very disappointing that the Government will not support our motion because by pausing it, all we are doing is kicking the can down the road. Instead of protecting and enhancing emergency and critical care services in Navan, uncertainty will hang over the people of Meath for months. The Minister could have put this to bed tonight by saying that he would protect and enhance services at Navan hospital. The Minister of State, Deputy English, said the motion we brought to the floor of the House tonight was a fair one. I hope he will vote for it tomorrow night.

We all know there are safety concerns and those safety concerns need a response. What is proposed will make it worse. The Minister has said that Sinn Féin others are playing politics. That is entirely disingenuous and false. We are standing by our communities and standing by patients. We want the best outcome for everyone. We need a plan to protect and enhance emergency services. Closing services is not a plan; it is the easy option.

The Minister said no decision has been made and that all concerns need to be fully addressed. What is the benchmark to be met to address those concerns? What is the plan? Quite simply, we do not seem to have one. I encourage everyone to come out on 9 July and support the protest in Navan because we need at all costs to keep the emergency department and the critical care services in Navan open.

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