Fine Gael anger at hospital cutbacks
Following the closure of Roscommon County Hospital’s emergency department this week, members yesterday voiced concern over 10 hospitals listed as a risk to patients.
Members met in the afternoon for an hour where parliamentary party members questioned Dr Reilly about the long-term strategy with small hospitals.
One TD said Dr Reilly’s comments were “vague” and left members “in the dark” on the government’s strategy in downgrading services over the coming months.
“James admitted that he was making mistakes in how he was handling it. There was also personal anger in how the Health Service Executive (HSE) had handled it. Members don’t know where this list is going,” one TD said.
The HSE in an Oireachtas committee last week released a list of 10 hospitals nationwide, following concerns raised about patient safety by the health watchdog, HIQA.
“The HIQA 10 are propping up everywhere now. Not just with constituents but with health professionals. It clearly is a target list. He [the minister] gave very vague answers,” added a party source.
According to the list, Mallow Hospital in Co Cork will also have its emergency department closed in November and downgraded to an urgent care centre.
TD Noel Harrington, from Cork South West, was said to have spoken well at the meeting about services at Bantry Hospital while other TDs raised concern about services in their constituencies.
Roscommon South Leitrim TD Frank Feighan, who supported the emergency department closure in a Dáil vote, attended the meeting but did not speak.
The issue of his constituency colleague Denis Naughton losing the whip after voting against the Government was not raised at the meeting.
The treatment of the TD was raised with Taoiseach Enda Kenny at a later meeting though.
“This is going to be an ongoing issue over the summer and into the next Dáil session,” added one TD.
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