Phil Prendergast (Labour)

I ask the Leader to request the Minister to make a statement on those children who will be affected by the proposed closure of ward beds in Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin. While in some cases elective surgery might mean a planned cosmetic procedure, in this case it means life-saving surgery. It takes place in two stages because a little baby can only have so much done at one time and needs maturity of organs in order to proceed. Having worked down the country, I am aware of cases where a baby was delivered with severe problems that had not been diagnosed ante-natally. That baby would need to come as an emergency or hot admission to the hospital and would then take precedence over planned or elective surgery. One can understand the dilemma presented to people awaiting child-saving surgery.

No facilities are provided for the parents of such children. Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin is the biggest referral centre for children from throughout the country. Its staff provide an excellent service. The relaying to parents of news that may not be so good - it can also be good - takes place in a corridor. This is an appalling indictment of the service being given to people at a time that might be very upsetting. The Minister should make a statement or at least agree to debate how best to prioritise without closing these wards as a money-saving venture. Although we are supposed to cherish all our children equally, this does not suggest we are.