David Norris (Independent)

I have raised the issue of Dublin hospitals' accident and emergency units in the House a number of times. A situation occurred last week in which St. James's Hospital received unjustified criticism. An elderly man who should have known better turned up in the hospital's accident and emergency department and was extremely abusive, obstructive and violent. He then proceeded to urinate on the floor. When he refused to do as he was told, he was eventually put in a wheelchair and taken out to the fringes of the hospital grounds to be placed in a taxi for which staff had telephoned. The taxi driver refused to take the man because he was so drunk and unpleasant, left him there and called the Garda. The man had disappeared by the time gardaí arrived a few minutes later. Much criticism was directed at the hospital but I support it100%. I deplore the insane and disgusting behaviour of this ignorant animal and the way in which he endangered the well-being of patients who might have been seriously ill, traumatised or had open wounds. There should be a drunk tank like a dog pound and these people should be put into it, as happens in the United States.