Walsh tragedy 'should not have happened'

A 75-YEAR-OLD man who died due to lack of available care could have been treated at Cavan Hospital after all, Tánaiste and Health Minister Mary Harney last night revealed.

The latest twist in the tragedy of Patrick Walsh emerged as his "inhuman" death dominated angry exchanges in the Dáil yesterday.

Mr Walsh bled to death from an ulcer last Friday because the operating theatre at Monaghan Hospital where he was being cared for closes at 5pm.

Ms Harney admitted he could have been treated 30 miles away in Cavan - despite his family being told a suitable bed could not be found - as she announced an inquiry into the affair to be led by Belfast consultant Declan Carey.

The family of Mr Walsh, from Aghafad, Carrickmacross, said he had suffered a death no animal would be allowed endure.

Ms Harney said the tragedy "should not have happened".

"Why that bed wasn't made available will obviously be the subject of this investigation," she added.

Monaghan TD and hospital campaigner Paudge Connolly claimed 16 other deaths had occurred since the on-call surgery service was removed from Monaghan General Hospital.

"It's not a case of will there be another life lost, but of when that life will be lost," he told the Dáil.

"The system is dangerous and is costing lives. This death clearly shouldn't have happened.

"The nation is in a state of shock that the health services are in such a state today, that somebody can be brought into a hospital, left on a bed, given blood and left to die. The tragedy is now compounded by the fact that a bed was available," he said.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny rounded on Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, saying Mr Walsh had found "there was no room at the inn".

He accused the Taoiseach of "desperately trying to point the finger at the Health Service Executive" and said it was astonishing the Government should continue to "wash its hands" of political responsibility in the matter.

Labour Leader Pat Rabbitte said the case was "beyond belief".

"How can it happen in a civilised country in 2005 that a man can die in this fashion," he demanded to know.

The Taoiseach said he had too much respect and sympathy for Mr Walsh's family to make a political issue of his death and would await the outcome of the probe.

He added he did not understand the sequence of events which saw Mr Walsh transferred from Drogheda to Monaghan, when there was a bed available in Cavan.

In one heated exchange, Fine Gael TD Damien English shouted out: "I'm not listening to crap from that Taoiseach on a health issue."

The Carey inquiry is expected to report on the case in eight weeks' time.