Dáil debates

Thursday, 1 December 2022

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate

Health Services Staff

5:24 pm

Photo of Colm BurkeColm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This matter relates to the appointment of a consultant ophthalmology surgeon at South Infirmary-Victoria Hospital and the need for funding to be set aside to allow that appointment to proceed. This is extremely important. We have built a new outpatient ophthalmology unit in South Infirmary-Victoria Hospital. We have built two brand-new theatres that are fully equipped and ready to be open in mid-January. The problem is we were to transfer all the ophthalmology services from Cork University Hospital to South Infirmary-Victoria Hospital. It is not going to take place because the funding has not been allocated for the appointment of the consultant ophthalmology surgeon. There is a refusal by people to transfer until that position is clarified and the funding allocated. This is an extremely important appointment. It is an extremely important development in the context of ophthalmology services in the south and south west. If this funding is not made available, we will have further delays to the opening of a brand-new and completed facility with two new theatres and a new outpatients unit.

The submission for this appointment to be made was submitted over nine months ago. I understand it is a case of someone in the HSE signing off to confirm that funding will be made available and the position can then be advertised. As the Minister of State knows, once the position is advertised it takes a period for it to be filled, but I understand that people will transfer knowing full well that the funding is available and that the position will be filled in due course. The problem is that the HSE has not sanctioned the funding. Consequently, we have a brand-new facility that we cannot use. This matter needs to be dealt with immediately. I ask that the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, instruct the HSE to sanction the funding in order that we can proceed with advertising the position and with opening this new facility for the south and south west.

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