Nicky McFadden (Fine Gael)

I listened with shock to the eminent consultant speak about what he termed the "grotesque" cuts in regard to the closure of 45 beds and the cancellation of surgery for seriously ill children in Crumlin hospital. The Minister then had the gall to state this was due to "overstaffing" — that was the word she used. We all received e-mails in this regard and I raised in the House previously the issue of a child being prepared for open heart surgery only to find there was no bed available in intensive care, with the result that the surgery had to be postponed. The definition of elective surgery is the issue here, but I assure the Leader that if a child needs an open heart operation, the condition is life threatening and very worrying for that child and his or her family. I ask the Leader to urgently bring the Minister to the House to discuss this very serious issue. "Grotesque" is the only word I can use to describe it.

It is unfortunate Senator MacSharry is not present. With my Fine Gael colleagues in Sligo, he campaigned vigorously for cancer services to remain in Sligo. On the radio this morning, we heard an interview with Mr. O'Hanrahan and Valerie Cox's interview with people who have to travel from Donegal to Galway for radium every single day on a minibus, with just one toilet, despite men needing to have full bladders because they have prostate cancer. It is barbaric and an outrage that women with open wounds following breast surgery or due to melanoma must travel on a 16-seater bus from Sligo, to where they must travel from Donegal, to Galway. As the Leader is aware, the position is similar in the midlands and people must travel to Galway, which is 50 miles away. It is not right that people must travel such distances for treatment. There must be satellite centres in places such as Mullingar and Sligo where people can undergo treatments, some of which may take only ten minutes, and where professional people do such outreach work. I call on the Leader to seriously address this issue.

I compliment former Senator Alan Kelly and wish him every success. I know he will not forget the undocumented Irish and that he will continue to be an advocate for them when he goes to Europe.