Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael)

I fully support Senator Prendergast's concerns about the closure of St. Brigid's ward at St. Patrick's Hospital in Waterford. This is being closed for the dubious reason that it does not reach the high standards required by HIQA. I call the HSE's bluff today. I call on HIQA to go into St. Brigid's ward in St. Patrick's Hospital and investigate all allegations made by the HSE. Let the truth be told and let us have transparency around this decision. This ward is the home of 19 highly dependent, elderly people. I have spoken to some of their families and they are seriously concerned about this move. For more than ten years we have been promised a 50-bed unit for the elderly in Waterford and the entire region. We welcome the support we have had from public representatives in south Tipperary, south Kilkenny, Wexford and Waterford fighting this case to keep St. Brigid's ward open. However the HSE shrugged its shoulders and said the decision has been made. As a public representative I say that is unacceptable.

I ask that the Minister come into this House to explain this decision. She can no longer say it is the responsibility of the HSE. She can no longer wash her hands, like Pontius Pilate, and say it is a decision by others. This affects people and their lives in the most detrimental way and I call on the Minister to explain those actions. I call on HIQA, which has high standards and which we welcome, to investigate this claim by the HSE that this ward does not reach the standards. If this ward is closed, umpteen wards, hospitals and nursing homes in this country should be also closed. We cannot use these standards as a dubious claim to make the closure. It is a cost-cutting measure done in the most ridiculous way that affects the elderly, those who are most vulnerable.

I add my voice to that of Senator Cummins, who yesterday raised the real concerns of the Waterford Crystal workers regarding their redundancy and pension rights and entitlements. More than eight months ago I asked for a debate in this House on Waterford Crystal and the trouble it was in. Had that debate been granted we could have analysed in a proper, timely fashion the implications on all workers not just in Waterford Crystal but in manufacturing generally. That debate was not granted. We did not want to examine the crisis in the manufacturing industry. We wait for factories to close down before we react and respond, and that is not good enough.

Senator O'Toole is correct. We are not responsive enough in this House and Parliament. We need to react to the daily issues that occur and that is the closure of manufacturing industries around this country. In Waterford we have Waterford Crystal, Honeywell, Hasbro and Bausch & Lomb, all iconic names and international, high-value trading companies, that are closing and going on short time. What are we doing here? We are sitting down talking about other issues. We need to wake up, smell the coffee, get real and get out there and represent the people we were elected to represent.