Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. However, there is an absolute disconnect between what he has said and the reality on the ground. It bears no resemblance to what is being experienced by those waiting for and working in physiotherapy. It is very simple. The panels contain fully qualified, ready, willing and able physiotherapists. What is stopping them from being appointed?

The agency solution cited by the Minister of State worries me. Until he confirmed it, I could not believe it that private agencies are being engaged from Galway and brought into Mayo. Does the Minister of State know how long it takes to get from Galway to Belmullet in Mayo? It is a six-hour round trip. If that is the most economic way to deliver physiotherapy in Erris, God help us. It is not a solution.

Who is on the group and what advice is it being given? It is obviously disconnected from what is happening on the ground. The Minister of State's answer has given me no more confidence in the approach being taken. I appreciate that he has been given the answer by the HSE, but the situation needs far more urgent attention to solve the problems in the area. People are coming out of hospital after hip and other very serious operations without any physiotherapy follow-up. There is no realisation of the damage that is being done right across the board.