Manus Boyle (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to raise an issue I feel really strongly about. A couple of weeks ago my daughter fell and I took her to an accident and emergency unit. We arrived at the unit on a Sunday afternoon about 4 o'clock and there was a lady there with severe disabilities. My daughter and I were there for the guts of ten hours. I am not giving out about the wait as it was a busy place but that poor woman was in a wheelchair and her husband had to try to look after her for the guts of ten hours. I offered her my daughter's place to let them go ahead but I was told that the lady had to be seen by staff from a different department.

I call on the Minister to ensure that people with disabilities are fast-tracked. I ask because it is inhumane to keep people sitting there. The poor husband did his best to assist his wife and the image of that has been lodged in my head since. It is totally wrong and inhumane for that women to have to wait for the guts of ten hours. I do not know how she sat for so long or how long she had to wait to receive treatment. A fast-track system through accident and emergency units should be in place.