It does not give me any great pleasure to come in here to raise this issue which should not need to be raised in the Dáil.
I have great respect for my colleague from Mayo, the Minister for State, Deputy Moffatt, who is present, but am sorry the rising star from Cork, the Minister for good news and good photographs, is not present. If this involved good news and a good photograph, I am sure Deputy Martin would be here. Last night I listened to him from my office and my blood boiled when I heard him tell the House about the wonderful health service.
I will tell the House about the health service in the Western Health Board area. A constituent of mine, mentally prepared for an operation which would cure him, came to the hospital on 4 October 1998, and was sent home. He returned to the hospital on 17 January 1999, and was sent home again. On 13 June 1999, he was sent home again. He received a letter from the health board which stated that his operation would take place on 27 June, but he was sent home again. On 27 July he was called again and told his operation would take place but he was sent home again. On 2 October 1999, I rang the health board and was told that the operation would definitely take place. I even received a letter, signed by a well paid official from the health board, telling me that the man would not be sent home again and wishing him well on his recovery from his operation. This is the year 2000, and I have received a further appointment for him on 19 February.
We listened to the debate on the health service. We heard the Minister telling us about the wonderful health service. We have a great service if one has money. In that case, one will be called to any hospital for whatever operation is required, but that is not the case for medical card holders. This case concerns an elderly person who worked all his life and served the State well. The person is depending on an operation and when he is called for it he should be able to obtain it instead of getting bad news. Yesterday an answer to a parliamentary question stated that 10,021 bed nights were lost per month. The figure for Castlebar was 25 bednights and in Merlin Park it was 48. Many more people could be operated on if the service was being properly run by the Minister for Health and Children. If people within the service were doing the jobs they are paid to do I would not have this upset and distressed man at my constituency clinic, waiting for an operation yet having to return home without having had one on six different occasions. I do not want the Minister of State to say that it was on only three different occasions, because the figure of six has been confirmed by the person's doctor who was outraged. The same official who said it was three times wished the man well for a speedy recovery from his operation. It is time the Minister took on these health board officials and if they cannot do the job there are many others who will.
I do not want this man back in my office on 19 February saying that he was sent home again. I want him to have his surgery instead of being mentally prepared for an operation and travelling from Castlebar to Galway, but having to return home that night without having been operated upon. The operation had better be done because if not, I will be up on my feet every single morning on the Order of Business to highlight the matter to the Minister for Health and Children and the Taoiseach. If this is the kind of service we have, God help the poor and weak who are on medical cards.