Anne Rabbitte (Fianna Fail)

I, too, wish to be associated with the best wishes to Martin Hughes.

Yesterday at a meeting of the health committee, my esteemed colleague Deputy Martin Daly brought up the issue of Portiuncula hospital. Bernard Gloster brought complete clarity on the months of speculation as to whether the recommendations of the Walker report were implemented fully or partially, or not implemented. The CEO confirmed that they were not implemented. It is on that basis that I raise the issue of safe, high-quality services in Portiuncula, with access. High-risk maternity cases are to be removed from the hospital. If you are from the Athlone side, you will have to go to Dublin, and if you are from around Portiuncula or Ballinasloe, you will have to go to Galway. This is on the basis that the Walker report’s recommendations have not been implemented. It was produced in 2018. Professor Coulter-Smith has said that to have a safe service, we need to have it fully funded and to have full implementation. We have not fully implemented recommendations that we should have. This needs to be funded. We need to give the women of the Portiuncula area and the midlands every opportunity to have safe access to services in their locality. Anybody who lives in Galway knows that it takes an hour and a half on a good day to get to Galway city, never mind trying to travel to Dublin.

The Minister has been really supportive and it is important for me to acknowledge the work she has done, but I really believe we now need laser focus. Maybe she could bring clarity to communication for the GPs and funding to deliver on the recommendations in the Walker report. What is being put in place for high-risk patients as we stand here today?