Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I ask the Minister of State to get directly in touch with the Minister of State with responsibility for older people? The reply is pretty much the same as that received by the former Deputy for Kerry, Brendan Griffin, last January 12 months. It is not acceptable or fair on the staff in West Kerry Community Hospital, including the doctors and nurses, its patients and, indeed, the patients' families. I ask that every effort be made to open the 79 beds and to provide staffing levels.

I referred to patients in Kenmare Community Hospital from west Kerry and patients in Dingle Community Hospital who were from Kenmare. It is only a case of switching them around. It is not rocket science. I ask that the Minister of State take this matter up as soon as possible please and address it. Families are stressed out over it. It is simply not good enough and I ask that the people of west Kerry and Dingle get what they deserve. Community hospitals are all about community, yet there is this idea of splitting them apart with a two and a half hour drive to get from one area to another to visit a loved one. Being able visit that loved on in the immediate community is what we should be striving for. I ask that every effort be made and that the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, whom I thank for his time and response, contact the Minister of State for older people directly about addressing this most urgent matter as soon as possible.

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