Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

-----arrogant way they have treated people over this issue.

I visited the unit in St. Brigid's and spoke with its consultants. I saw a state-of-the-art facility that had been renovated at considerable public expense, yet its beds are being sent elsewhere. I learned about the bogus consultation and scoring procedures that saw Roscommon score 10 and Ballinasloe score 3 on a question of adjacency when Ballinasloe is a level 3 hospital and Roscommon is level 2. I mean no disrespect to the services available in any of these hospitals, but when a decision does not add up, people are rightly - "discouraged" is too mild a term - scandalised by how they have been treated.

I also spoke with the head of community and primary care services, Ms Catherine Cunningham, about this matter when I visited St. Brigid's. I made it my business to meet her when she was passing through. I got all the usual civil and public service arguments when a decision has been taken and there will be no going back on it no matter the quality of the arguments being made by the other side. I was treated courteously and heard how she hoped that the money would not be wasted and would go to whatever services existed, but I walked through a state-of-the-art facility that had been superbly upgraded. It was located in a place where A Vision for Change was being implemented and there was a quality movement towards community-based care in respect of mental health.

People do not understand what has happened, why the Government is not listening, why their local, highly valued facilities should be targeted for cuts in this way or why it was so arrogantly proposed to remove beds from the facility on the eve of a Seanad debate. They regard that as thumbing the nose at them. They are in the Visitors Gallery and outside Leinster House in large numbers because they do not feel good about how their services are being targeted by the Government.

There is only one way to vote, and that is in favour of the motion. We all support centres of excellence and the more intelligent consolidation of services, but people across the country want excellent services to be available close to them.

I have been asked by my colleague, Senator Crown, whether I can share time with him. I would like to do so.