Denis Landy (Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State's response was very well crafted by whoever wrote it. I compliment the person concerned, but most of the response dealt with St. Patrick's Hospital in Cashel. I visited that hospital every Sunday for a long time when my grandfather was in it and during that time it was known as the Old County Home. However, it is Our Lady's Hospital, not St. Patrick's Hospital, that we discussing. I cannot understand how €23 million was spent at Our Lady's Hospital, €12 million of it on a new main building, and how it was then left standing idle. South Tipperary General Hospital in Clonmel is not and has not been able to cope. On checking the Official Report I found part of this structured response to parliamentary questions tabled on this issue in recent years. There is not enough capacity in South Tipperary General Hospital. Another hospital is waiting to be filled. Somebody needs to get the finger out and put patients into it, given that there is overcrowding in Clonmel. I thank the Minister of State for coming into the House to take this matter.