Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister might also explain why it has taken a month for the CEO to respond to the three unions that work in UHL to agree to meet them after the changes that were made at the beginning of January. How does that make sense?

The Minister might explain why doctors who published previous letters said, themselves, that a witch hunt was conducted by the management team, not to deal with the issue that these doctors raised, but to find out who publicised the issues. I wish to make clear that I have no confidence in the senior management team in UHL and I believe that the Minister has a duty to act in that regard.

On the future configuration, I cannot believe that after two and half years in government, the Minister cannot tell us definitively whether we need an elective or model 3 hospital. The motion states: "to accelerate the start date of the new surgical clinic", but the Minister does not have a date for the surgical hub. So, in two and half years, we have seen further failures.

I ask the Acting Chairperson for more time on account of the long interruption, and I think my request is only reasonable.