Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State. I congratulate and thank Senators Boyhan and McDowell for this important motion. I hope that there is unanimous support for it and that the House will not divide because this is an important debate on the continuum of care. I thank the Neurological Alliance of Ireland for its wonderful campaign. I thank Deputy Colm Burke, who was instrumental last week in arranging an important briefing in the AV room. Last week, Senator O’Donovan and I raised hospital services in a timely Commencement matter.

The Patients Deserve Better campaign is not just about highlighting the need for extra nurse specialists to be put in place; it is about the model of care that we want in neurological services. I am a simple and ordinary person and, to me, neurological care is about looking after people with different conditions, but the term “neurological care” does not cover what we are discussing now. This motion is about quality of care, access to therapy and services and the additional nurse specialists that are required. It is also about ensuring that we examine the issue of waiting lists and neurological services as a whole.

The HSE has become good at saying “the pandemic has delayed” or “the pandemic has paused”.We accept that it has, but we cannot hide behind the pandemic for everything. I thank everybody present tonight who is working with people on the ground. We are talking about people here. The key points from tonight's debate relate to there being four nurse specialists when there should be 20, and the shortage of 16 people to provide essential care to those with neurological conditions, such as multiple sclerosis.

If I may digress for a second, one of our ushers, Mr. Darren Fitzgerald, is in the House tonight. Last year, he created a significant amount of publicity around his 65 Holes for 65 Roses campaign to support Cystic Fibrosis Ireland and working for his daughter, Caoimhe. What Darren did was unbelievable. He took the person and made the story about the delivery of services. To be fair to Senator Boyhan, that is what this motion is about. He is right that it is not political but is about the people. It is the story of Darren and Caoimhe we should focus on. Equally, it is Mr. Declan Greogor in Cork and Mr. Tony Wilkinson of Cork Parkinson's Association we should be talking about in the context of the advocacy and work they have been doing. I referenced their remarks and contributions in the House last week, as did Senator O'Donovan. For example, hiring just one nurse who specialises in the condition of Parkinson's would save the HSE €300,000 a year. That is just one part of it. Mr. Declan Groeger said: "I'm not looking for someone 24/7 ... What the nurse would mean to me is that I could contact them when I have a particular issue." That is the second part; it is about quality of life.

I had the unfortunate privilege to be in Cork University Hospital for a period earlier this year with my late father. The continuum of care was unbelievable. The accident and emergency department was full but the care given was brilliant. The level of care and communication in the ward my father was in was phenomenal. We are talking about people who want to live life with multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, cystic fibrosis or whatever. To be fair to the Minister of State, he challenges officials every day in his Department. This particular issue is probably not within his exact remit but there is a gap and lacuna in the provision of services for those with neurological conditions. Yesterday, Senator Blaney, in his contribution on the Electoral Reform Bill, spoke about the need for Oireachtas representatives, who in many cases have previously been members of local authorities where we had to access to information and officials. With the greatest will in the world, the quarterly briefing with HSE people is not enough in itself. Tonight, in a unified Upper House, we are sending a message not just to the Government but to the HSE that the lacuna in the care of people with neurological conditions is unacceptable and we want to see it addressed.

I again thank the Independent Group for its motion. I certainly hope we will not oppose it because we should not. It is an important one that is about people. My final remarks are for those in the advocacy groups who are working so hard. I thank them. Their voice was most definitely heard on this particular matter because they made it personal. I thank them all for that tonight. It is an important matter and I thank the Acting Chairperson for her indulgence.