Nicky McFadden (Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister of State for taking this motion on behalf of the Minister for Health and Children. I raise the issue following the publication of the report on sexual assault treatment units last week. I welcome the fact there are six sexual assault units throughout the country, one of which is in Mullingar, providing equity of access to all victims of sexual crimes and welcome the publication of the report, which is important for the development of the service. Some 500 people have had the unfortunate necessity to use the service, 50 of whom were in the Mullingar area.

If people are to be able to defend themselves, they must have forensic clinical evidence, which is why these units are crucial. However, there are difficulties with the unit in the Mullingar hospital. Initially, some eight doctors and one clinical nurse specialist, CNS - sexual forensic examiner - were available for roster duty in Mullingar, but now there are only five doctors and one CNS available. Initially there were also 12 assisting nurses, but now there are only 11. The reduction in staff numbers has led to the service being inadequately staffed, a fact recorded in the report. The staff shortage has also reduced the availability and timing of appointments for people who need to return to the hospital for an appointment to check up on sexually transmitted infections. This service is now reduced to one and a half hours per week, which is inadequate. To add insult to injury, the unit is located in a temporary facility. It operates from one room which, according to the report, is not discrete within the hospital and lacks proper facilities such as a toilet or shower. This is an insult to people who are already distressed and in difficulty. A new facility has been identified within the hospital, but no date has been provided as to when it will be available for staff and patients.

I am concerned about the situation in Mullingar. In recent years there has been insidious downgrading of every facility that has gone into the Mullingar hospital. The situation is very negative. The consultants and staff have to fight tooth and nail to retain every service. I fear that what happened with post mortem facilities last month, which were transferred to Tullamore, will happen again. This downgrading is harmful, especially considering that Tullamore has no gynaecological or obstetric facilities. I ask the Minister of State to ensure the staff complement is reinstated to provide a service 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This serves the catchment area of Westmeath, Longford, Offaly and Laois. People require the service and we have as much right as any other part of the country to a full and adequate service for people in difficulty.

By the way, today ambulances were turned away from the Longford-Westmeath Regional Hospital, Mullingar and Portiuncula Hospital as they were not able to deal with the numbers of patients in those hospitals.