Máire Devine (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Another consultant, actually the only consultant dealing with children's pain in the entire State, has stepped down from his position due to the lack of funding to enable him to provide the service that is needed. Dr. Kevin McCarthy said that he made the "difficult decision" as the service is "completely unsustainable" and did not meet the needs of sick children. He said he needs a full team and sufficient funding, which has not been forthcoming. The same thing happened about two years ago in the Wexford-Waterford area with regard to children's mental health. Three consultants resigned from their posts leaving no consultant cover, which has continued to this day. A Saturday morning consultant travels from Galway to see children on a never-ending waiting list in Waterford and Wexford. A state-of-the-art building - the national children's hospital - is in progress and a satellite centre will be opened in Tallaght Hospital next year. The Connolly satellite centre opened in July 2019 but only operates Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. because of the difficulties in recruiting medical staff. How are we going to recruit and retain medical staff for the national children's hospital in its entirety?I would like an update from the Minister as to the projected opening hours for Tallaght, the staffing that is in Connolly, the staffing in Tallaght, how they are recruiting those staff, and what is in process for the bigger mothership at St. James' Hospital. Has the consultants offer that the Minister made yesterday been accepted or is it going to cause more difficulties? I would like him to come in and explain and update this House on how we manage our children's health and how we are going to replace immediately the pain consultant.