Seanad debates

Tuesday, 16 December 2014

11:00 am

Photo of Marc MacSharryMarc MacSharry (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Fianna Fáil will be opposing the Order of Business today. I wish to propose an amendment to the Order of Business that the Minister for Health comes to the House as a matter of urgency to discuss the crisis in our accident and emergency services, in particular those in our flagship hospital, Beaumont Hospital. On 8 September last the CEO of that hospital went public because he said it was unsafe for patients.

He said it was in the interests of the safety of all patients that the hospital should regain stability as a matter of urgency. One wonders why the inaction since 8 Septembers, as Beaumont Hospital, the flagship for neurology and other disciplines, had to be taken off being on-call for the first time in its history. What has led to this crisis in which a most important tertiary hospital had to be taken off being on-call?

What has happened since the CEO flagged these problems? The Government has cut funding to acute hospitals, such as Beaumont. The Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar has his head in the sand and is interested in convincing the Seanad to support the Government's flawed Water Services Bill next Thursday and Friday. He needs to focus on outlining how this crisis will be dealt with. Before I came into the Chamber I checked the number of people around the country who are waiting to be admitted to hospital through the accident and emergency service. Some 385 families have a member who is waiting to be admitted to hospital.

People have been advised over the airwaves in the past couple of day not to come to Beaumont hospital because the hospital is no longer able to admit patients. The CEO said this on 8 September 2014 but the Government, inept and unable to listen, is not hearing what is being said. It has cut funding to acute hospitals such as Beaumont in the recent budget announcements. This is completely unacceptable. Serious action needs to be taken. How many hospital wards are closed? If ever there was a case for the immediate lifting of the embargo, it is now when a major hospital has to cease being on-call as it is no longer able to admit patients.

Serious action has been taken in the past few days to deal with the homeless, let the Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar, call for an urgent commission within 48 hours to deal with the situation in Beaumont Hospital. As with the abuse of residents in Áras Attracta in County Mayo, it is no less abuse for people to be told they cannot come to a hospital and, if they do attend they will be left on a trolley. Let the Minister tell that to the 386 families who have a member who needs to be admitted to hospital. What has happened since 8 September when the CEO of Beaumont issued a warning? Nothing. Blinded by the paralysis of inaction, the Government has cut services. We have not had a cold spell. Even before a possible flu epidemic, we are cutting services.

I ask Members who are considering how they will vote later in the week, to reach their decision in the knowledge that the Government can be beaten on this issue next Friday. I ask them not to listen to the veiled and disgraceful threats of a Minister who is reported in the media as having said if the Seanad does not support the Water Services Bill 2014, then the people will pay higher charges. That is rubbish. As Members of an institution of this State, we listen to the people, not a Minister trying to ram unfair legislation down the throats of the public.

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