Confirmation from the Health Minister that there will be no public elective hospital built in the Mid-West is at odds with previous statements by the Taoiseach.
That’s the view of Tipperary TD Alan Kelly who says he has been told by Minister Stephen Donnelly that the government has no intention of building such a hospital despite the dire need to alleviate pressure on UHL.
The Labour Deputy says this is very much at odds with what Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said in the past and in spite of the recent Deloitte report highlighting the need for more hospital beds in the region.
“The Minister for Health is effectively contradicting the Taoiseach.
“The Taoiseach of Ireland believes this should happen but the Minister for Health doesn’t. I’d like to see the two of them have a chat about this because we all in the Mid-West know that this elective hospital is needed.
“We can’t continue the way we are and the access issues and emergency situation that’s in UHL.”
The Labour TD says this is a slap in the face to people of the three counties with the Deloitte report highlighting the fact that the hospital network is under resourced with not enough beds or consultants.
“At a recent Health Committee meeting UL Hospital Group management effectively said that we needed a public elective hospital – that that would be a priority.
“So I’d really like to see the Government sort themselves out and support this. And I’d like to see the Taoiseach take on the Minister for Health and ask him why is he contradicting the Taoiseach’s view and the view of everyone in the Mid-West that this would help alleviate the serious problems we have across the network of hospitals.”
