Hospital closures and worker issues
The Tánaiste and Deputy Tóibín clashed over the causes of past A&E closures, with the Tánaiste rejecting claims of political malice and defending clinical decisions. The exchange then moved to Moorepark Technology pay restoration and Argos closures, with the Tánaiste promising to follow up on the workers' situation and engage the Minister on redundancies.
On Deputy Tóibín's remarks, my focus is on solutions to these issues. He referred to all the accident and emergency departments that were closed through the years. I am very clear that there were clinical decisions-----
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Consultants have admitted it was a mistake-----
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I have been through it all for 20 years. I see the politicisation of health when I see it, nakedly so in the case of the Deputy.
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I am saying it was a political fashion at the time to close accident and emergency departments.
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I do not believe it was evidence-based.
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Deputy O'Connor raised the issue of Moorepark Technology. I will have to explore it more. It sounds like there is an anomaly. I will certainly talk to the Minister in respect of the 18 workers.
Deputy Quinlivan raised the announcement earlier by Argos to close all its Irish stores. Our hearts go out to the employees in the first instance. It is shocking news for them. I will talk to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment about engagement with the union to ensure everything we can do for the workers is done in the event of redundancies. This involves using the 30-day consultation period to determine whether the company can be rescued and, if not, determining whether we can secure alternative employment or provide whatever other supports are required, through training, for the workers.
Deputy Costello raised the issue of Iveagh Markets. I will talk to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, in respect of the heritage aspect of the question raised. The Deputy's objective sounds very laudable. I will certainly pursue it with the Minister.