Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his response and I note his interest in the disability services in Galway to which, hopefully, we will be welcoming him soon. The HSE response on this matter is a nonsense. Discussions have been ongoing for well over a year. It was known in advance of the operation that this would be needed. It is time for decisions to be taken and for heads to be banged together. It is probably costing as much per annum to keep this patient in the high dependency unit as it would cost to provide services for him at home with his family. I ask the Minister of State to re-engage with the HSE on this matter, with a view to a meeting being held with the relevant stakeholders and a decision being reached on when this patient can be moved home. As I said, this matter has been going on for far too long. The Minister of State, when in Galway, might take that opportunity to meet with the relevant stakeholders and raise this issue with them.