Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As the Minister is about to leave, I acknowledge and thank him. We are delighted to hear the protocols will be extended to both St. John's and Nenagh hospitals because that was one of the significant requests in our motion. We now know that element of the motion will be actioned. That is fresh news. The healthcare community in the mid-west will welcome it this evening.

On my behalf and that of Senator Byrne, I thank the House for its support for this motion. It is a critically important motion. While we are in government and are supportive of the Government, our job is also to hold the Government and the Minister to account and bring the Minister to the Seanad to explain and give details to the House about what is happening. That has happened here this evening. The Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, the senior Minister, has been here.He attended the briefing for all Oireachtas Members in the mid-west a couple of weeks ago. He has visited UHL and did the official sod turning on the 96-bed block that is now under construction. That speaks volumes. I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever in the Minister’s sincerity in working with all stakeholders to resolve this problem.

To sum up, our motion has delivered the extension of the protocols to both St. John’s and Nenagh. Senator Maria Byrne, the Fine Gael group and I are delighted with that news this evening. We want to see the other two 96-bed blocks fast-tracked. I think there is a commitment here that will happen. I encourage the senior management team in UHL to advance its plans as quickly as possible and get them to the Government. I think they will find that the Government will not delay in sanctioning the money.

We will see the surgical unit happen. I want it to happen as quickly as possible. That has proved its worth in Tallaght. It has responded to the crisis in Tallaght in a positive way and I believe it will do the same in Limerick.

On the elective hospital, we have not got the type of clarity we would like on that issue. Hopefully, we will in due course and the Government will see the logic and rationale behind the elective hospital and the need for it to contribute to dealing with the capacity issue in the mid-west region.

Process and management in UHL is critical. Progress has been made and we have seen that with the dramatic reduction in the trolley numbers. The process change has to continue.

Marches and protests have happened – all of that. People are entitled to do that and I support and welcome it. However, if there are alternative governments proposing, we need to know exactly what they will deliver if they go into government. Will we see a reversal of reconfiguration? Will we see the opening of a 24-hour consultant-led accident and emergency service in Ennis and Nenagh? This Government is not promising that because the clinicians do not support it; the clinicians do not believe it would be safe. Hard questions now need to be asked of Opposition Members. Is this what they are proposing? Are they promising the electorate that we will see a 24-hour consultant-led accident and emergency service in Ennis and Nenagh? If that is the case, they should come out and say it. We will start asking them the questions that need to be asked. The people need to know if that will happen. If that is what they are promising, that is well and good. Let us go to the people and have that discussion. However, you cannot have it every way and you cannot have it both ways. They have to say precisely whether they will open level 3 hospitals in Nenagh and Ennis. Perhaps that is what they will do. These questions have to and will be asked.

Overall, the Seanad is supporting what we are trying to achieve in this motion. We had good news this evening. It is an excellent motion. I thank all Members across the House and all parties for participating in it. I commend the motion to this House.