Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It gives me no pleasure to have to raise again issues relating to the Minister for Health and how he manages his Department. On a number of occasions, I have raised issues in regard to Beaumont Hospital and Temple Street Children's Hospital and the filling of vacancies for paediatric physiotherapists for children with cystic fibrosis. I listened to Professor Norman Delanty, who I know, for whom I have great regard and with whom I have done quite a bit of work over the years, on the radio speak about the two epilepsy monitoring units which remain closed in Cork University Hospital and in Beaumont Hospital. More than 200 people are waiting for these units, people who Professor Delanty says could benefit and who are having two to three seizures per week. After a course of monitoring, they could benefit by being seizure free.

The Deputy Leader will agree that these are very urgent issues which need to be dealt with as well as the matter I raised previously in regard to Cúram in Swords in the Minister's consistency where there are no adult mental health services at all. The Minister closed the centre in Swords and moved people into the back of an office where there are no facilities for patients with serious mental health issues.

That is why I was particularly interested in the Minister's interest in two areas which are not even in his constituency, namely, Wexford and Kilkenny. My colleagues in the Dáil got no explanation from the Taoiseach or from the Minister as to why he decided it was appropriate to move Wexford General Hospital and St. Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny up the list. Do not forget that when he expedites these projects, other towns and cities miss out.

I listened with interest to the notice given by Senator Kelly to raise a matter on the Adjournment on services in Roscommon hospital. As we know, Fine Gael promised specifically that there would be no changes in that hospital and, indeed, that it would be upgraded. Why did the Minister for Health deem it necessary to expedite improvements in Wexford General Hospital and St. Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny?

I know why and I think we all know why, to be frank. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, who is the fixer and the bruiser in the Cabinet lobbied Minister Reilly very heavily and-----