Lorraine Higgins (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy John Perry, for coming to the House to address an issue which is of great concern to people in Portumna, County Galway, and surrounding areas. People in the town have been left without public health services since November 2012 as a consequence of a rat infestation in the health centre building. This matter was brought to my attention at the time by concerned residents and I asked the Health Service Executive to investigate the claims. The HSE responded immediately to inform me that steps were being taken to rectify the problem without delay. I was assured that two surveys had been undertaken by a pest control company with the results showing that there was no rat activity in the health centre itself. I was told, however, that the surveys did show some evidence of rat activity externally. I understand the extermination company took all the necessary pest control measures at the time.

Staff and all services at Portumna were moved to Woodford health centre while the pest control company conducted further investigations into the centre in Portumna. Clinical services which could not be undertaken at home were temporarily suspended, with an undertaking that they would resume once the health centre reopened. I understand the staff were asked to return to Portumna in February 2013. They objected to doing so given that floorboards which were removed from the property in the course of the investigation had revealed a nest of rats. Nobody could blame them for refusing to work in such conditions, which represent a very significant health and safety issue not only to employees but also to service users.

The Portumna centre remains closed and residents continue to be deprived of the types of health services that are available in every town and village in Ireland. There are reports that some public health nurses are working out of their cars. Baby developmental checks, speech and language therapy and care of the elderly services are all being carried out at other health centre locations such as Woodford and elsewhere in east Galway. The situation is entirely unsatisfactory. Such is the depth of feeling on the issue the locals are planning to submit a petition to the HSE. This issue has been going on for far too long.

Portumna, a town with a good-sized population and significant numbers living in the hinterland, has suffered greatly in recent times. The burning down of the Shannon Oaks Hotel, for example, has led to significant job losses, as did the closure of ancillary businesses dependent on the hotel. In addition, AIB has closed its branch in the town. I implore the Department of Health to take action. People in Portumna feel justifiably aggrieved at what essentially amounts to a downgrading of all local health services. The HSE seems to have forgotten about them, some eight months after the problem of rat infestation at the health centre first emerged. Action must be taken without delay.