Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)

A series health crisis is arising in the North of Ireland at the moment. Sinn Féin, the DUP, the UUP and the Alliance Party are closing down key hospital services in Daisy Hill Hospital, Enniskillen and Causeway Hospital in Derry. These closures are having a significant effect on services. Patients in Craigavon hospital are waiting for 19 hours to see their emergency doctor. The waiting time at the emergency department in the Royal Victoria Hospital is nine hours.

One day, there were 40 ambulances stuck at hospitals trying to deliver their patients. The longest waiting time was 13 hours. I pay tribute to the SOS Causeway Hospital campaign and Gemma Brolly, who is involved in that.

The boss of the British Medical Association in the North stated that an all-Ireland GP service would be a way to help resolve these crises. Daisy Hill, Enniskillen and Causeway all have hinterlands that feed into the South of Ireland in areas where there is great need for hospital services too. Is the Taoiseach speaking to the British Prime Minister about developing an all-Ireland health service?

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