Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State. I mentioned the regional hospital - I still call it that - because it is bursting at the seams. According to HIQA, it is affected by so many issues, despite the good work of the staff. We then have a facility, Clifden District Hospital, which has, without a doubt, been run down for more than two years, with conflicting reasons given to us.

Let us look at the staff and what they told the press. I am not sure if they told the Minister of State. They said there are currently no patients in Clifden District Hospital. Day services are not affected but step-down and respite services are not available in Clifden. Can you imagine that there are no step-down and respite services? Suddenly, people can be accommodated in Merlin Park University Hospital. In Galway city, when we tried to get people into Merlin Park University Hospital based on clinical decisions, we were told there was no space but suddenly people can go to Merlin Park.

In regard to the stage the recruitment campaign is at and whether staff been hired, community healthcare west has three panels in place from which nursing staff can be recruited. Two are specifically for Clifden - and this is the best part - but they are awaiting a derogation to proceed. This derogation is presumably from the Government embargo. I presume that is what they mean there. Maybe the Minister of State can enlighten me. They said they hope to receive approval for same. They then went on to talk about planning permission. I am a bit disappointed that the beds went from 50 beds to 40 beds but that is where we are at.

I received a similar answer now, which seems to be a trend. It depends on what mood they are in as to which answer they will give us. Let us look at Áras Mhic Dara community nursing unit i gcroílár na Gaeltachta, which I have raised over and over. There is a rolling recruitment campaign, which includes Áras Mhic Dara community nursing unit. Interviews are currently in progress but the further progression of posts are subject to the recruitment embargo being lifted. The HSE is telling us this but the Taoiseach is telling us there is no recruitment embargo. Here we have two different responses, one in regard to Clifden and one in regard to Áras Mhic Dara, telling us there is a recruitment embargo and that they are awaiting Government approval.

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