St Brigid's hospital meeting
Deputy Mattie McGrath complained that local representatives and campaigners had not been properly met about St. Brigid’s hospital in Carrick-on-Suir. The Minister said the Minister of State had met the INMO and local representatives and that the relevant Ministers would reply further.
The people of Carrick-on-Suir, south Kilkenny and east Waterford are at the gates of the Dáil now. They have 11,000 signatures signed by people on a petition, and it is no ordinary petition.
It asked people if they would be happy to put their loved ones into St. Brigid's hospital, Carrick-on-Suir. The Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, has refused to meet the committee and Councillor Kieran Burke, the Minister's own colleague, and Councillor David Dunne and members of Tipperary County Council. The Government has not met the action committee either. It is a wonderful institution. In the middle of Covid, it defies any logic that the Government closed this hospital. I am asking both of them now to come out to the gate and receive that petition to give respect to the people who signed it and listen to the people. They might not listen to us, but listen to the people who signed this petition and give explanations. The only explanation they want is a reopening of that hospital - a wonderful institution including hospice beds as well.
Comment on this
I thank Deputy Mattie McGrath for raising that question. The Minister of State, Deputy Mary Butler, met with the INMO and the local representatives in the area-----
Comment on this
------in respect of St. Brigid's hospital in Carrick-on-Suir. I will allow the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, and the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, to come back to the Deputy on the detail of that.