Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Speaking on local radio, Highland Radio, last week, one of the consultants at Letterkenny University Hospital stated the hospital has five intensive care beds, which is probably the number we needed about 20 years ago. A report done nearly a decade ago stated we needed over double that, yet that is still the position. The consultant explained what that means. When somebody is in a ward, their health is deteriorating and they need intensive care, they cannot get it in Letterkenny University Hospital. It is not just about inconvenience. People die as a result of not having the proper and adequate resources in our hospitals.

The Minister of State spoke about the solution without even talking to the GPs or consultants because the Minister will not come into the House or go to Donegal to listen to what they have to say. The Minister of State said the performance management and improvement unit will be sent, which is established 24-7 and is supposed to be helping these hospitals in the first instance anyway. This is a permanent unit which is supposed to help Letterkenny, Limerick and other hospitals. What about the nearly 90 beds we need in Letterkenny University Hospital? The Minister announced 1,500 beds three times this year, yet he is not funding these beds in Letterkenny.

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