Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for her response, although I am disappointed that is a standard response. I am not blaming her for that. As the Minister stated in the report, he only met the team ten days or two weeks ago. The issue of an elective hospital was highlighted in the report commissioned by UHL and its CEO, Professor Cowan, and Professor Lenehan reiterated that when they were before the joint committee. It has been called for by many of the top people in the mid-west as an overall solution.

All hospitals are overcrowded. Elective hospitals are proposed in Dublin, Cork and Galway but that will not solve the problem in the mid-west, which has the worst overcrowding. People are waiting for days on trolleys. I am not exaggerating as I know somebody who waited five days recently before getting a bed. It is totally unacceptable. There is a need for an elective hospital in the mid-west. I would like the Minister of State to take the message back to the Minister that he needs to listen to the people of the mid-west. This is a very serious issue.

I know meetings were held with the senior teams of St. John’s Hospital and UHL. The Minister needs to wake up and listen because the people of the mid-west deserve better.