Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

On the day that HIQA visited, it was noted that the hospital comprised 21 beds, 19 of which were occupied. Everybody was glad in a sense, because it left more room for manoeuvre in relation to Covid. It is interesting that the report noted that the hospital accommodated patients requiring rehabilitation, convalescent and palliative care. The report stated that patients were admitted to Clifden District Hospital from University Hospital Galway. Inspectors were informed that admissions direct from the community to the hospital were stopped, but only because of Covid. Up to that point, there were referrals from the community and referrals from the hospital. I do not know where else the referrals were coming from. That is HIQA. Then there are the local doctors who the Minister of State is very familiar with. GPs do not often go out on a limb, do they? I know of a local GP, Dr. Casey, who has been there for 50 years and his son practises with him now. He has begged and implored the HSE to restore the hospital and the functions it had. I do not feel it is my place or that of the Minister of State to be in between unions and employers, but the nurses are saying that the HSE has orchestrated this downgrading of the hospital because they believe it wants it for another purpose that has not yet been revealed.

If they do not advertise that they are open for business, they will not get the business. We have been given many contradictory reasons by the HSE on this. One reason is that it cannot get staff. It launched a special recruitment campaign and got more than 20 applications. A number of individuals were shortlisted. In the end, it got one nurse who will not be available until 2024. There is something seriously wrong. Am I over time?

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