Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday, there were 57 people on trolleys in Galway. I will be coming to this later in Leader's Questions. I give forewarning to the Minister there and to the Taoiseach that I will be coming back to Galway later. There were 57 people on trolleys. Have any of us spent time on trolleys? If we did, I think it would be sorted out very quickly. We go back again. There are beds empty in Merlin Park University Hospital and in the heart of the Gaeltacht, sa Cheathrú Rua. There are empty beds and no staff. Then we have Clifden. In the middle of this, I welcome the progress but I am not sure what the decision is regarding Clifden District Hospital and that is the kernel of this. There seems to be a conflation of the two things. There is a new nursing home, which I welcome, although I am upset that it is going from 50 to 40. Initially, it was 50 beds; now it is 40. It seems to me the different answers being given are saying that the district hospital would close then. I am very concerned about that and so are the representatives on the ground. The local GP, Dr. Casey, is also very concerned, and he made a very strong case the night of the public meeting to keep Clifden open as a district hospital. It does - or did - a whole range of activities. I would really appreciate clarification on that and on when the complement of staff will be in place.

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