Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach’s office for choosing this Commencement matter. My colleague, Councillor Eileen Mannion, and I arranged a community meeting in Clifden on Sunday. It was attended by hundreds of people – there was standing room only with people out the door - concerned about the future of Clifden District Hospital, which is used for respite convalescence and has been used for palliative and end-of-life care as well. There is concern because individuals in the community were told by the HSE to take their loved ones out of the facility by 3 p.m. on Sunday or 3 p.m. on Monday. This causes huge concern in the community.

Issues regarding rostering and difficulties between unions and management on the amalgamation of practices between St. Anne’s nursing unit and Clifden District Hospital have had an impact. It is now clear that there is more to this. Issues with recruitment and the availability of nurses and physiotherapists seem to be at the heart of the problem. This is reducing the number of referrals from Galway University Hospital, GUH, which is impacting on the ability to have convalescent and step-down facilities.

I ask that the Government intervene with the community healthcare organisation, CHO, to ensure that it has an appropriate recruitment programme in place for Clifden District Hospital, that it engages with local doctors regarding palliative and end-of-life care and that it ensures there are referrals from GUH for local people who wish to be cared for and visited by their families in the local community.That was certainly always the case in Clifden District Hospital pre-Covid. Covid changed issues and there is a concern in the community that issues are now at play to downgrade Clifden District Hospital with a view to closing it. We had a commitment - I apologise, I will hand over to my colleague.