TD slams failure to open wing at hospital

THE beds are made and the pillows are fluffed, but there are no patients in the new wing of James Connolly Hospital.

Almost €100 million has been spent on the new facility in the hospital in Blanchardstown, West Dublin, but the equipment is wrapped in cellophane and lying unused, according to Labour TD Joan Burton. Efforts to get an exact opening date for the new wing from Junior Health Minister Ivor Callely failed yesterday.

“I will be very happy to ensure you are invited,” Mr Callely sarcastically told Deputy Burton. The minister added that construction of the new hospital building is nearly completed.

No government politicians will be in sight today when the hospital ceases scheduling admissions to facilitate the closure of 32 beds.

Ambulances will also cease to bring patients to the A&E unit at the hospital, if there are more than 25 patients awaiting beds at the 350 bed hospital.

“It is a grave disservice to the wonderful work done by the medical and nursing staff in James Connolly that the hospital should be the victim of such vicious cutbacks,” Deputy Burton said.

At the moment the rheumatology department treats patients on a daily basis, allowing these people to maintain their working and family lives, but the proposals to merge this department will end that.

The €5 million promised for the equipping of the new wing will now go into the refurbishment of the existing surgery block, Deputy Burton says.

Lying idle, the new wing is a monument to the current crisis in the Health Service, she says.

“Rarely has so much been promised and so little delivered,” says the Dublin West TD.

According to Minister Callely, this is a year for great pressure on the health services, but the Northern Area Health Board has a duty to deliver services within their budget.

The minister said the Department of Health has met its funding commitments to the hospital development - €46 million to date - and the additional €5 million in capital funding to facilitate the refurbishment will be delivered upon.

The next stage of the project will involve the equipping of the new building, he said.