William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister of State for her response. However, it is important that I stress again that I am not asking for extras for County Laois. I am asking for the basics, that is, access to a doctor, reasonable wait times, and care delivered in our towns and villages. Rural Laois deserves the same healthcare rights as any other part of this country. People have paid into the system for their entire lives and they deserve more than just a waiting list and closed doors. To be fair to the Minister of State, I know she agrees with me.

Time is not on our side. GPs are retiring now, not in five years. Locum cover is inconsistent. Rural patients are falling through the cracks in County Laois. The Minister of State referred to the situation in Rathdowney. I heard her say 2025, but I got the same answer in 2024. I am sorry to have to say that. It is in no way a criticism of the Minister of State for the response she has given me, because the Minister is not present, but I have heard all this before.

No site has yet been confirmed in Rathdowney. That is evident in the Minister of State's response to me. The HSE's silence on progress is adding to the frustration of the community in Rathdowney. Mountrath has been allocated a primary care centre but, without a clear timeline for delivery or a staffing plan what is proposed is just a promise. I tried to find out if it was true or false that a site has been allocated but I could not get a definite answer, which means we are also left in limbo.

I am not asking for County Laois to jump the queue but I cannot accept that rural communities in the county are being left behind. We need a clear roadmap with deadlines and funding commitments. We need boots on the ground: doctors, nurses and therapists who can deliver care now. This is about dignity. It is not about access or equity. I do not want the people of Laois to wait any longer for those services.

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