Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I want to be really fair to the Minister of State. I know she is reading out a response she was given. It is the same response other Ministers have read out previously. She stated that she has received assurances from the Blackpool treatment centre. I have in my hand a copy of the facts and figures I obtained in the response to a parliamentary question. In January 2019, 2,399 patients were seen at Blackpool. In January 2024, that number was 230. In February 2019, 1,899 patients were seen. In February 2024, the number of patients was 253. It continues the same all the way along. This proves that Blackpool is closed.

I have telephoned the Blackpool centre because I have had family members who were sick in recent months. I was told I had to take my wife and daughter to the clinic on the Kinsale Road roundabout for treatment. I was told on the telephone that no patients were being seen at Blackpool and that it was providing only call-out services. The doctor who should be based in Blackpool SouthDoc is in his car going everywhere from Mallow to Youghal to west Cork. That is not a GP service. There should be a GP based in Blackpool.

When the Minister of State leaves tomorrow morning, will she contact the HSE in Cork and Kerry and ask it to get on to SouthDoc? I want the record cleared and made straight. The information she has given, like other Ministers before her have given, is not right and it is not accurate. It is a lie SouthDoc is telling her and the HSE. I am not calling her a liar. I am calling the people in SouthDoc liars.

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