Before the presentation by AWARE and the Schizophrenia Society of Ireland, Deputy Dempsey wishes to make a brief statement.
Business of Joint Committee.
I wish to raise a matter of concern in Wexford, a matter in which my colleague, Deputy Twomey, is very much involved. Although financial clearance to build a 19 bed extension to Wexford General Hospital was given in April or May 2004, nothing has happened since by way of appointing a builder to commence work. Because of the delay, two clinical directors, Dr. McKiernan and Dr. O'Mahony, resigned last week in protest and as a measure of their frustration.
Wexford General Hospital is one of the hospitals where patients are continuously on trolleys. Some 18 patients were on trolleys last week and 28 the weekend before. While the extension would not have an immediate effect, it would help to restore the confidence of the public.
Deputy Twomey and I, as well as other colleagues, are regularly questioned about this problem by the local media. It has also become an issue for the national media. I am not sure whether it is appropriate to the committee at this stage but perhaps it can be raised on another date.
Deputy Dempsey said it all. While this matter has been ongoing for the past four years and promises have been made in the past 12 months, nothing is happening. This is a bad way to run the health service. As Deputy Dempsey is aware, the provision of 19 beds forms part of a development programme for the hospital. Letterkenny hospital has run into the same problems. If the system is blocked in one area, everything else is held up. The concern for all hospitals of this size is that this represents implementation of the Hanly report, not by the Department of Health and Children but by local officials of the health boards and the new regional authorities who are trying to pre-empt what the Minister for Health and Children is thinking. As development in many hospitals has more or less stalled, we need clear answers in this regard.
I thank the Chairman for permitting this matter to be raised. Because the health boards are now defunct, there is no other vehicle available to us to raise such an issue. The committee has, therefore, taken on a new role. I suggest that the Chairman hold a meeting to review all projects. For instance, €2.5 million was allocated to Roscommon County Hospital to open nine observation beds but they are lying idle because the necessary staff have not been recruited. This amounts to total incompetence on the part of the Western Health Board. I would like to know who is dragging his or her feet.
There is no way we can raise these issues with the health authorities which will not respond to public representatives. As far as they are concerned, we no longer have any relevance because we have no say at board level. It is unacceptable that there are people on trolleys in a hospital in Roscommon which has a new accident and emergency unit at a cost of €6 million. Although approval was given last year for the recruitment of staff, none has yet been appointed. It is time this issue was addressed. I call on the Minister to take action on this issue. It is ultimately the responsibility of the Minister for Health and Children to ensure this matter is addressed. As a former chairman of the Western Health Board, I am disappointed with the lack of action on the ground in terms of the implementation of Government policy.
I agree with previous speakers and with the sentiments expressed by Senator Leyden that this committee will assume a great degree of importance in the future. With the abolition of the health boards we will have a direct line through which to raise with the Minister issues of concern to our constituents. Perhaps, as Deputy Tony Dempsey suggested, we might revert to this issue at a future meeting. Perhaps we could discuss it at our meeting on 3 February with the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children. That meeting has not yet been confirmed as we have had difficulty communicating with the Tánaiste's office in terms of her agenda for that date. Is it agreeable that we will raise the issue at that meeting?
Can we take it that we can raise the issue at that meeting?
Yes. Obviously, I cannot guarantee it because the secretariat has yet to raise the matter with the Tánaiste.
The agenda for that meeting is fairly tight.
Yes, but the question of whether there will be time for a question and answer session has yet to be addressed.
We will not be able to cover the issues raised by Deputies Leyden and Tony Dempsey in five minutes.
I was referring in particular to the matter raised by Deputy Dempsey in relation to Wexford General Hospital. The point raised by Senator Leyden also affects other hospitals around the country.
I am not a member of the committee but perhaps I could make an observation. I have listened attentively to the concerns regarding various hospitals and to the new legislation put in place. If the committee is to adopt the role of watchdog for politicians and the health service it would want to be meeting five days a week continuously. It is important some other mechanism is put in place. It is obvious the legislation has taken politics out of the health service.
Exactly.
That in turn has taken us away from the people. I may be guilty in that I did not participate in the debate on the issue in the Dáil. However, it was obvious to me at that time that there was this danger. I believe we will be amending that legislation before the Government completes its term in office in order to ensure it deals with the people rather than policy matters.
My apologies for being late. It is interesting to hear Deputies' views. I am sure Deputy O'Keeffe participated in the sense that he supported the change. When I raised the point that I did not believe this committee was in a position to take on the role of watchdog for the entire country, Deputy Devins believed no problem existed. The Government will be put to the test in terms of seeing whether it can be done.
Wexford, Roscommon and other areas are flashpoints in terms of the accident and emergency crisis. Unfortunately, they are not isolated incidents. The situation in the greater Dublin area is also worrying. We must find time to discuss the issue with the Minister for Health and Children. I accept that, as Deputy Twomey said, the agenda is tight but if that is so we might need to extend the meeting. The Minister must agree to extend the time of the meeting.
I suggest we also set up, with the Minister and chairman of the HSE, a series of meetings for the year 2005. There has been much talk of the Minister attending a meeting of this committee. That has not yet happened. The Minister is now back in the country and we need to put in place structured arrangements which ensure the Minister attends this committee on a regular basis. We must provide the time and space to ensure that is done within the limits of this committee. I do not believe it is possible for the committee to take on a monitoring role of the health service and I do not believe anybody has confidence we can do so. However, we must do our best. I ask that at the next meeting we draw up a structured timetable for meetings with the chairman of the HSE, the key directors within the HSE and with the Minister for Health and Children.
It is a pity this committee is being asked to take on that role given the other work we have to do, as illustrated by the work programme. A recent article in The Irish Times contained the substance of a report on the GMS which clearly has been suppressed for a long time by the previous and current Ministers for Health and Children. Recommendations were made by Deloitte & Touche for changes in the GMS. A group has been established to implement elements of that report relating to drug prescribing. Other than from information leaked to The Irish Times we would not know what is going on in this area at all. We have been charged and have a duty to oversee all matters relating to health, yet this material is being kept from us. I ask that the Minister be requested to release that document into the public arena and to supply members with a copy of it so that it can be debated to ensure matters relating to family doctors and pharmacists throughout the country are dealt with in a proper way.
The Minister is scheduled to attend the next meeting on 3 February. Perhaps the issue of a future work programme in terms of meeting with the Minister and chairman of the HSE can be discussed at that meeting. The committee secretariat deals with the secretary to the Department. It may be more effective if we as members raise the issue with the Minister on the day. The Minister has indicated, through Deputy O'Malley, that she will meet with the committee on a regular basis. Deputy McManus is right in pointing out the Minister has not yet attended the committee but in all fairness — it is not my job to defend the Minister — she has had a fairly heavy work schedule. The Minister is scheduled to attend the committee meeting on 3 February at which time members will have an opportunity to raise their concerns.
I accept that may be the way forward. However, we should perhaps approach Mr. Kevin Kelly who continually expresses his availability to us. Let us put that to the test.
At what time will the meeting be held?
At 9.30 a.m.
When is the chairman of the Health Service Executive due to attend?
I am awaiting a response in that regard. As there is no other business we will move on to the presentations. The first presentation is being made by AWARE on mental health issues.