I thank you, a Chathaoirligh, for giving me the opportunity to raise this important matter on the Adjournment. I also thank the Minister for coming here. I am aware, from previous discussions he had with public representatives and with an important delegation he recently graciously received, that he is fully aware of the widespread concern at the diminishing level of services in the general hospital in Ennis.
The Minister is aware that there has been a constant curtailment of services and activity at the county hospital; bed numbers have been consistently reduced over the last few years. Serious hardship is being experienced by many, by those in isolated parts of the country, because of the absence of facilities in the hospital, indeed, the general maternity service has been discontinued. The most recent curtailments, including changes in staffing levels for the ambulance service, the closing down for periods and at night of the accident and emergency services and the curtailment of acute surgical services by the closure of an operating theatre are now creating serious doubts about the future viability of acute surgical services in the hospital. It is widely thought that the closure of this theatre will precipitate the final closure of acute surgical services there and that future surgical services for the area will be provided at the regional hospital in Limerick or in the adjoining regional hospitals in Galway or Tralee.
We have had widespread calls from various organisations and individuals in support of the hospital seeking to impress upon the Minister the desirability of providing additional funding to the Mid-Western Health Board, to enable it to provide the same level of services at the hospital — as a minimum — as last year. From the funding available to the health board, it is clear that unless these curtailments, which are currently being discussed with representatives of the unions involved, are agreed, the hospital may well have to close one of its main wards for the summer, with the subsequent lack of facilities for many needing acute hospital treatment. Due to lack of funds, the available services there may not even be funded to last year's level. The mixing of male and female patients in wards was vehemently opposed by many last year because it created undue hardship for the patients and caused anxiety for their relatives and visitors.
The situation in Ennis is now chronic. We welcome the financial package announced yesterday by the Minister and compliment him for getting the Government to provide an additional £20 million in funding to relieve the acute waiting lists. Could some of this funding be allocated to the general hospital in Ennis to prevent the closure of the acute operating theatre this year? Otherwise, the waiting lists will get longer and the hospital will become less viable as an acute surgical unit. The Minister has a contingency fund of about £412,000 — and an allocation from that sum would help to keep the theatres fully operational in the hospital. It would also alleviate the fears in regard to the closure of the acute surgical services unit and the further downgrading of the hospital, at a time when this service is urgently needed in County Clare.
I do not wish to delay the Minister. However, I repeat that there is a widespread belief that services in the hospital are gradually being diminished and curtailed to an extent which will lead to inevitable closure, especially of acute surgical services. This is causing widespread anxiety to the people of the country, especially to the staff and professionals who operate the services in the hospital.
I do not wish to raise any fear that might further damage the prospects of the hospital. It has been providing an excellent service within the limit of the capacity of those working there and the available financial resources. A highly professional and caring service is being provided at the general hospital in Ennis for the country and we wish it to continue. Additional staff should be appointed, a review was carried out last year which indicated that this was necessary. We also want the Minister to examine the possibility of even a limited emergency maternity service, especially for the people of the peninsula who are miles from the nearest maternity services. There is widespread anxiety and there have been tragedies because of lack of this facility.
The Minister can assist the Mid-Western Health Board now. Like most health boards it is in financial difficulties but, in the contingency funding which was announced yesterday, it may be possible to find some money which would enable the Mid-Western Health Board to keep the operating theatres and emergency services — especially the accident and emergency services — operating at the same level as last year. I again appeal to the Minister to specifically examine this case and consider what assistance he can give to help to maintain the very high level of service at Ennis General Hospital.