Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

-----high. While I welcome this initiative, we are keeping prices extraordinarily high no matter and almost setting a target to which people aspire. The affordability of student accommodation has been repeatedly highlighted as an issue for students. According to a study by the University of Galway, one of the most controversial aspects – this is relevant to the Minister, Deputy Harris – of purpose-built student accommodation is the level of rent charged. Rents are getting higher even though the accommodation is purpose built. We are providing a large amount of public money. That is good, but I do not know what the guarantee for the State is. Are we funding entities, be they universities or others, with no return for the State and no guarantee that there will be extra public property for us that will lead to prices decreasing in future?

I welcome that the medical card will not be taken into account. Interestingly, 30.8% of the population has a medical card. That seems a significant proportion, but it has actually decreased ten percentage points since 2012. The number of GP-visit cards has increased, which is welcome. It is good that people have medical cards and that we are progressing Sláintecare, but as TDs, we are repeatedly told those with medical cards are being charged for services, in particular, blood tests. The Minister of State is familiar with this matter. According to a reply I received to a parliamentary question, medical card holders should not be charged for blood tests. Within that answer, though, there was room for discretion and the Minister referred to various discussions he had had with the appropriate organisation about whether there should be charges. Just today, níos luaithe inniu, bhí ceannteideal ar Raidió na Gaeltachta. Bhí duine ag gearán ar son an chosmhuintir ar an talamh. Dúirt sé go raibh na daoine sin ag teacht chuige ag rá go raibh orthu íoc as tástáil fola. Ba cheannteideal é seo inniu. That is difficult.

I have already mentioned pharmacists. The issues of monitoring and mental health are crucial.

Deputy Mattie McGrath referred to me raising a certain matter. All of that discussion is taking place within the context of a hospital in Galway that is constantly at breaking point. It is not me saying that. I have with me a HIQA report from just a year ago. HIQA attended the hospital in Galway and said it was grossly overcrowded. At that stage, the number of people on trolleys numbered in the 20s. This week, it is 50-something or 60-something. The hospital is continuously overcrowded, the staff are at their wits’ end and, most importantly, there is no dignity or privacy for patients. Progress was made on diverting children from its accident and emergency unit, but I understand that situation has slid back. HIQA referred to an absence of staff, including consultants, with significant impacts. A through-flow was not possible because of a severe deficit in the number of beds. I could not believe the figure – 220-something. This is not even to mention two horrible words – “delayed discharges” – which I will not use, yet there are patients who are ready to leave the hospital but have nowhere to go.

I am only mentioning some in the interests of brevity.

At the same time, tá leaba folamh i gcroílár na Gaeltachta in Áras Mhic Dara ar an gCeathrú Rua. Leis na blianta tá leaba folamh. Tá leaba folamh in Ospidéal Pháirc Mhuirlinne. I understand it has got worse since HIQA's report last year. It has employed more staff and consultants but still has not got its complement of staff. While there is pressure on the hospital, Merlin Park has empty beds in the unit for elderly people. Carraroe has empty beds. We get different answers about the absence of staff. It is very difficult. Of course, we have the district hospital in Clifden. They could all be used to take the pressure off the hospital.

I will finish on this point. All of these problems were recognised years ago by various taoisigh and high politicians, including the Tánaiste, who said that the emergency department in Galway was not fit for purpose. We thought we were making progress with an options appraisal which came and said to build a brand new hospital in Merlin Park. I foolishly relaxed. The next thing that came forward was a second options appraisal because there had been no answer from the Government and a lesser solution had been decided, which is a ridiculous solution, to extend the regional hospital, which is completely congested, and build an elective hospital at Merlin Park. That is now Government policy. The actual main recommendation of the 2019 report was to build a brand new hospital in Merlin Park. Unfortunately, it did not happen. Fáiltím roimh an mBille seo. Is tús agus céim mhaith é ach tar ar ais, le toil an Aire Stáit, ó thaobh cúrsaí monatóireachta agus na bpoitigéirí de. Gabhaim míle buíochas.

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