For many years the health provisions in south Tipperary were in a dismal state. Truthfully, this was due to local disagreement as to whether the new hospital would be located in Cashel or Clonmel. However, in 1997, the Minister for Health, Deputy Michael Noonan, announced State funding of £13.5 million for the provision of an adequate health service in south Tipperary. We thought our problems were over. However, despite the brave decision of the Minister for Health, the provision of facilities is not only slow but incoherent, illogical and wasteful.
St. Joseph's Hospital, Clonmel is already overcrowded. There are long waiting lists for all treat ments. The waiting list for X-rays, however, is completely unnecessary. Following the provision of funds by the Minister, money was allocated for a new X-ray room. The room is ready and contains the most sophisticated equipment. I am sure the public would be outraged if they knew that public money has provided a facility which is little more than a museum. The X-ray room is not being used for the purpose for which it was intended. The room is closed while queues form in hospital corridors for the already insufficient X-ray service. Radiographers are working overtime and are on call every second night.
It seems illogical for a Minister to oversee a service in which excellent facilities cannot be used for want of staff. All that is needed to allow this facility to be put into the service of the people of south Tipperary is the appointment of a radiographer. This modern, up-to-date, fully equipped and badly needed medical resource is lying idle. This is the ultimate in wastefulness and it cannot be tolerated.
A recent report has found that Ireland is in 16th place in the provision of health services. St. Joseph's Hospital provides a perfect example of the failure of our health service. Someone, somewhere must make logical decisions and insist that once technology is provided, it must be used. The public will question once again how we run our affairs. If a private company invested this amount of money in new facilities and new technology, it could not afford to allow them lie idle. How can the Department of Health and Children afford to do so? The health of patients in south Tipperary is being affected. The waiting lists for X-rays are too long. Where they wait in the corridor in full view is a fully equipped modern resource room which cannot be used for the want of staff. How anybody could have agreed to spend money on this facility in the knowledge that staff would not be available to make use of it is beyond me.
The Minister of State should bring to an end immediately this unacceptable situation. The South-Eastern Health Board should not allow it to continue. The Minister of State should at least give us some hope that where facilties are provided they will be used. The facilities in question have been lying idle for five months. This is too long, unfair on patients and constitutes a waste of resources. It is not something that the Minister of State or I could be proud of.