Theatres at Ennis Hospital
I asked why two recently upgraded theatres at Ennis Hospital are currently not being used when there is significant waiting lists for procedures in the Mid West.
CAHMS
The absence of IT systems and structures in the HSE and across the entire health service, including CAMHS, is a major blockage to its improvement and efficient functioning and needs to be addressed urgently.
Coillte
Coillte, as a state company, is treated differently by state agencies and departments, including the Forestry Division when it comes to observing environmental standards.
That contributes to the detrimental environmental impact of much of our forestry which was recently highlighted by the EU Commission.
Coillte forestry deal
Following yesterday’s Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture meeting on Coillte’s forestry deal with a British investment fund, I debated the matter with Forestry Minister Pippa Hackett (Green Party) on Virgin Media’s ‘The Tonight Show.’
Health service in the Mid West
I spoke about the healthcare crisis in the Mid West on The Tonight Show.
McNamara Seeks Early Engagement On Shannon Refugee Accommodation
Independent Clare TD Michael McNamara says the Government must lift the “wall of silence” surrounding plans to refit a large industrial building for emergency accommodation for refugees at Shannon Business Park.
Read MoreEnnis Hospital
The Taoiseach has admitted additional resources are required for Ennis Hospital. I will continue to pursue the Government to deliver.
Dental care for primary school students
I raised the delays being experienced in the delivery of dental care to primary school students because of a lack of personnel signed up to deliver the scheme.
Agriculture and the Food Supply Chain Bill
The Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill, as it stands, will not make it any clearer to farmers and consumers who is profiting most from the production and sale of essential food items.
Coillte deal with British investment funds
Micheál Martin confirms that the Coillte scheme to facilitate the purchase of land across Ireland by British investment funds will not be affected by his proposed Government review.
Resourcing the Midwest health system
I attended a positive meeting about UHL yesterday with UL Hospitals Group management, the Health Minister, Taoiseach and fellow Oireachtas Midwest representatives. At long last, there was an acknowledgment that the Midwest hospital system is under-resourced compared to other regions of the State and that the Model 2 Hospitals, such as Ennis and Nenagh, are underutilised.
Ennis Hospital
I spoke on RTÉ Drivetime about the need to adequately resource Ennis Hospital in light of the HSE decision to sanction ambulance paramedics to bring patients directly to the facility’s medical assessment unit.
Overcrowding at UHL
Micheál Martin and his government failed the people of the Midwest by refusing to tackle the mounting problems at UHL. Leo Varadkar must now intervene.
I was shocked that the only proposal from the Government representative on today’s show was to call for mandatory face masks and “other restrictions”, and to call for young doctors and nurses to be forced to work in a chronically mismanaged health system.