Frank Feighan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I should respond to Senator Leyden's timely intervention. Yesterday, while attending a conference a Boyle, a young man from Elphin thanked me for introducing an air ambulance service in County Roscommon, which saved his life. Six months ago, the air ambulance service transferred him from the scene of a car accident to an accident and emergency unit in Galway within 35 minutes. There are dozens of men and women, young and old, in County Roscommon who have had similar experiences.

I called into Roscommon hospital this morning on my way to Dublin, as I do every week. The hospital is so busy I could not find a parking space. This is a major issue and a national disgrace. The hospital has become much busier and needs more parking spaces.

The reason for my late arrival today is that I was attending the 13th national health summit in Croke Park, at which I was one of the speakers. More than 300 stakeholders in the health system, including managers, consultants and doctors, attended. After I spoke, Audrey Carville, who organised the summit, asked whether anyone present believed the downgrading of the accident and emergency department in Roscommon hospital had been a mistake or had cost lives. Not one of the 300 health professionals present raised a hand.