Seanad Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 20 Sep 2018

Vol. 260 No. 2

Commencement Matters

Hospital Waiting Lists

Senator Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House, but I was expecting the Minister for Health to be here to deal with what is a very serious matter. Nonetheless, I will air my concerns because they are important and ask that the Minister of State relay them in full to the Minister for Health.

I met Mr. Craig Bolger in my constituency office in Carlow last week. He asked that I use his name because he wants me to be his voice. He is a family man, devoted to his ten year old son Brandon, who was diagnosed with cancer on 27 March this year. Brandon's cancer was detected through a stubborn verruca and later operated on. He was lucky that his mother and father kept asking questions and kept fighting for treatment because it took a lot of back and forth to get a diagnosis. I am raising this today because Craig and his wife Sandra have had to fight for their son every step of the way since they first noticed that stubborn verruca. Brandon's cancer, which affects bone or soft tissue, is rare. It is called Ewing sarcoma. In one day, Brandon had a line inserted into his neck, had two teeth pulled and underwent a lumbar puncture. He is a resilient little boy who never complains. His smile is infectious and he would brighten up any room. He should not have to be fighting anything but cancer now. However, Brandon is supposed to have chemotherapy every 14 days at Our Lady's Children's Hospital in Crumlin but because of a lack of beds, his chemotherapy has been repeatedly delayed in the past few months. This has happened on several occasions, not just to Brandon but to other children too. This week, Craig raised his frustration with me, with local and national media and on social media. His son's chemotherapy, which has to be administered on time, was delayed by five days this week. This little boy is seriously ill. Why did this happen? During this delay, Craig shouted loudly and eventually on Tuesday he got a bed for his son but this is just not good enough. Brandon should get a bed when he needs one. We now have a system in which members of the public have to make a huge noise in order to effect change. If there is an ability to help people, why does the healthcare system make them beg? The Bolgers have asked why they have to beg for a service that should be in place for their seriously ill son. Why can people only get help when they shout about it? Why can they not get the help they need straight away? Why do they have to go to newspapers or radio and television stations? Brandon has a hell of a fight on his hands already. Why does he have to fight for this?

Brandon is going to Barretstown on 5 October. There are great people there and there are great people in Our Lady's Children's Hospital in Crumlin and in the health service generally. There are also great parents who should not have to fight these kinds of battles for their children. They are at the end of the tether as it is and are crying out for help. We cannot have a system that does not treat children because of a lack of capacity, funding or resources. Whatever the reason, it is unacceptable. We have children on waiting lists for diagnosis, for surgery and for treatment. They are waiting for care, for treatment and to be seen and to be heard. I ask the Minister of State to explain why this has happened, not once but several times to Brandon and many other children. Why have children in Crumlin been left waiting for chemotherapy? Why are their parents fighting for a bed? I ask the Minister of State to put a stop to this. I ask her to relay this message to the Minister for Health. He must give a commitment to Craig Bolger and his son Brandon that they will not be waiting for chemotherapy services. No child in this country should be left waiting for chemotherapy or for a bed. A child can wait for Christmas but cannot wait for treatment.

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Catherine Byrne)

I thank the Senator for raising this matter and apologise on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, who cannot be here as he is attending a meeting in the Department. I am sorry, but that is the truth.

I convey my sympathy to any family experiencing delays in receiving timely treatment in hospital. I can only imagine the distress caused by any disruption to a patient's treatment but particularly to a child undergoing chemotherapy.

The Minister has been advised by the hospital that delays are being experienced as a consequence of essential maintenance works in three rooms in St. John's oncology ward. As a parent of a son who, in his early years, spent time in this ward, I am aware of the extraordinary and exceptional job being done by the staff in caring and comforting young children and their families at a time when their lives are being turned upside down. These works, combined with an increased demand on Crumlin hospital's oncology service for inpatient beds is proving a particular challenge at present for the site. The hospital recognises, and sincerely regrets, the impact that the change in admission date has on had patients and their families. Furthermore, any decision to delay admission or treatment is not taken lightly. When such decisions are made, they are made to ensure a safe environment, with safe delivery of care to all patients the priority at all times.

Last year, the Minister launched the national cancer strategy under which cancer services for children, adolescents and young adults are an area of particular focus. The strategy aims to further develop child and young adolescent cancer services in the new national children’s hospital. The schedule of accommodation of the new haematology and oncology unit in the hospital will significantly increase the capacity to deliver more comprehensive cancer care. This could include treatment of specific clinically driven conditions for adolescents-young adults who have paediatric-centric tumours and are aged between 16 and 20 years. The aim is to ensure that patients are treated in the centre - adult or paediatric - most appropriate to their needs.

Nationally, the national cancer control programme leads the implementation of the new cancer strategy in the HSE. This involves providing leadership across the continuum of care, from diagnosis to treatment to appropriate follow-up and support, in both the hospital and community setting. The children’s hospital group will work with the national cancer control programme in particular on the development of adolescent and young adults' cancer services, contributing to the development of the survivorship programme. Services for the treatment of cancer include surgery, radiotherapy and systemic anti-cancer therapy, SACT, which includes medical oncology and haemato-oncology. The majority, but not all, of cancer surgery now takes place in the designated cancer centres. Our Lady’s Children's Hospital, Crumlin is the designated cancer centres for paediatrics.

I assure the Senator that in the context of improving hospital services for all patients, the Minister is in ongoing contact with the children’s hospital group and he will be engaging with it on this matter in terms of seeking assurances for the maintenance of oncology activity and targets at Crumlin hospital. On my own behalf, and as Minister of State at the Department of Health, I apologise to Mr. and Mrs. Bolger and their son for the delay in the provision of his treatment. As the report outlines, there are difficulties, particularly in the maintenance of the unit, and they are being addressed.

Senator Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

I thank the Minister of State for her reply which I will relay to the family. I know that she has experience of the system. In fairness to the staff of Crumlin hospital, I know they are under pressure. However, this family is deeply upset at the delay in the provision of treatment for their son. I ask the Minister of State to relay to the Minister, Deputy Harris, that no child or cancer patient should be left waiting for chemotherapy or any other type of treatment. I will also contact him to ensure he is aware of the urgency in this regard, not only for the Bolger family but all families.

An Cathaoirleach

It is a very sad case, which I hope will have a positive outcome.

Garda Stations

An Cathaoirleach

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Stanton.

Senator Tim Lombard

I, too, welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber. I am seeking an update from the Minister of State on the reopening of the Garda station in Ballinspittle. On page 101 of the programme for Government, there is a commitment to a pilot scheme for the reopening of some of the Garda stations closed in the last few years. In that regard, there are six stations listed for reopening, one of which is my constituency in Cork South-West, namely, Ballinspittle Garda station. The general public and the community welcome the proposed reopening of this Garda station. The community had been seeking this for some time and when the announcement was made, it was a great relief to all concerned.

As the Minister of State will be aware, Ballinspittle is a thriving little village, with a busy rural hinterland. It also has a unique tourism trade, with some fantastic beaches that are really busy in the summer. This level of activity is one of key reasons the people of Ballinspittle and the surrounding areas sought the reopening of this Garda station. Also, the community is concerned that because Ballinspittle is a coastal village any throughput of yachts or other vessels could be carrying contraband, as we witnessed during the week in relation to a vessel detained in Kinsale harbour. When will this Garda station reopen in order that the community will have access to a facility and Garda with whom they could raise concerns regarding such issues should they arise? Also, the reopening of this station might be one of the reasons such vessels would not come to that part of the world? I hope the Minister of State can provide me with an update on the reopening of this Garda station.

Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality (Deputy David Stanton)

I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Flanagan, who regrets that he cannot be here owing to other official commitments. He wishes to thank the Senator for raising this matter in the Seanad.

I agree with the Senator that Ballinspittle is a special and lovely place. It is not part of my own area but I am familiar with it. As the Senator will be aware the programme of replacement and refurbishment of Garda accommodation is progressed by the Garda authorities working in close co-operation with the Office of Public Works, OPW, which has the responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. This includes identifying and progressing any necessary remedial or refurbishment works required at individual stations. The Minister has no direct role in these matters.

As the Senator may also be aware, A Programme for a Partnership Government commits to a pilot scheme to reopen six Garda stations, urban and rural, to determine possible positive impacts that such openings will have on criminal activity, with special emphasis on burglaries, theft and public order. I note the Senator's remarks with regard to contraband and so forth. The Garda Commissioner's final report, which is available on the Department of Justice and Equality website, recommends that Ballinspittle Garda station be reopened, with stations in Bawnboy, County Cavan, Leighlinbridge, County Carlow, Donard, County Wicklow and Rush and Stepaside, County Dublin. The Garda authorities have informed the Minister that at the outset of the process the Garda authorities provided a brief of requirements to the OPW in relation to the reopening of each of these six stations and requested the OPW to undertake technical surveys to determine the works which would be necessary to enable the stations to reopen. The OPW, in turn, concluded the necessary technical surveys and advised the Commissioner accordingly.

I can confirm that the Commissioner, following consideration of the OPW technical surveys of each of the six stations, has now identified the organisation’s preferred way forward, bearing in mind operational needs, costs, timeframe for delivery and other factors. Engagement between the OPW and An Garda Síochána has provided the necessary further detail to allow the pilot programme of reopenings to proceed to the next stage of implementation. Finalisation of design, planning, where required, and procurement for each of the six stations included in the pilot programme, including Ballinspittle, will now be progressed by the OPW, in conjunction with An Garda Síochána, in line with all applicable processes and procedures. It is not possible to say at this stage when Ballinspittle Garda station or the other five stations will reopen as this depends on a number of factors, but implementation of the programme and reopening of all six stations is being pursued as a matter of priority.

More generally, the Minister wishes to point out that the reopening pilot programme is part of the unprecedented attention paid by the Government in recent years to addressing the deficiencies in the Garda estate. Unprecedented resources are being provided to provide fit-for-purpose facilities for Garda members and the public interacting with them. It inevitably takes time to see the results of investment such as this. It can be hard not to be impatient but the reality is that the design, planning and procurement for building projects take time if fairness and the best possible results at the best possible value are to be ensured. However, we are now seeing the results of the unprecedented taxpayer funding provided to An Garda Síochána in recent years. For example, three new divisional and regional headquarters in Galway, Wexford and Kevin Street, Dublin, have recently been completed and have entered into operational use.

I am pleased to inform the Senator on the Minister's behalf that more than 80 stations have now benefited from works under the cell refurbishment programme. Progress is being made under the broader Garda building and refurbishment programme, which is progressing on the basis of €60 million in Exchequer funding. I reassure the Senator that, in this time of unprecedented investment in the Garda estate, implementation of the pilot Garda station reopening project, by which I mean completion of all works required to enable reopening of the six stations, including Ballinspittle, is being pursued as a priority.

An Cathaoirleach

Once it is reopened for the next election.

Senator Tim Lombard

It depends on when the next election will be.

I thank the Minister of State for his contribution. It is important that we keep this issue on the agenda and keep asking when the Garda station in Ballinspittle will be reopened. There is general concern that this has dragged on a bit. Could we put as much pressure as possible on the OPW so we can move ahead and reopen the station?

Deputy David Stanton

I thank the Senator for raising the matter. I assure him that the Government is committed to the pilot scheme to reopen the six Garda stations, both urban and rural, to determine possible positive impacts of such openings on criminal activity, with special emphasis on burglaries, theft and public order. This is going to happen. The Garda Commissioner's final report on the matter recommends the reopening of six Garda stations, including Ballinspittle Garda station, with those in Bawnboy, Leighlinbridge, Donard, Rush and Stepaside. Work is progressing to enable the reopening of each of these. I understand both the Garda and OPW are working together to reopen the stations concerned, including Ballinspittle. It is not possible at this stage to provide a definite timeframe for the reopening of the station but the programme is being implemented and the reopening of the stations is being pursued as a matter of priority. We will keep the House informed of progress.

Sitting suspended at 10.55 a.m. and resumed at 11.30 a.m.