Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The health service is one of the key issues that we all hear about every night we are out knocking on doors. First, I want to acknowledge Bantry General Hospital. The health service is mentioned when one knocks on the doors of people who live in the constituency of Cork South-West but these people also want to praise and acknowledge the staff and management, and what has been done in Bantry General Hospital, particularly over the last four and half years. There are two multi-million euro investments happening there, which are really important for the region and the hospital has real capacity. One of the figures we have is that the hospital has six full-time consultants at the moment, which is an amazing statistic. We also have nearly 20 house doctors. We have more than 300 whole-time equivalent staff in the hospital so nearly 600 staff. The hospital is a huge economic driver for Bantry and the entire surrounding area. It is an outstanding stand-alone hospital with its rural hinterland.

I want to acknowledge the good work that is happening at the hospital, the investment and what it means to the Bantry, Skibbereen and Clonakilty region. The hospital is a really important entity. I do believe that we need to talk up the hospital because, disappointingly, some people want to talk down what is happening there. We need to acknowledge the actual good work that is happening there, the staff, the management and the amount of throughput at the hospital. I find it disgusting that people want to make the project into another political football; that should not be allowed. We need to acknowledge the staff and the amount of work done so that we can move forward with the next phase of the redevelopment that is happening there. We have had much progress and that just needs to be acknowledged.