Brady challenges Health Minister on future of Peamount Hospital

Statement from Peter Brady, Fine Gael Local Election Candidate, Lucan Ward

"The Minister for Health, Micheal Martin, must end his hands-off approach to the crisis at Peamount Hospital and take the steps necessary to secure its future" says Peter Brady, Fine Gael Local Election candidate in Lucan/Palmerstown.

"The future of Peamount is now in doubt following the decision of the Medical Council to write to the Eastern Regional Health Authority reiterating that hospital accreditation, and consequently the ability to employ hospital doctors, requires the presence of a consultant.

To date, the Minister for Health has washed his hands of the matter. The Tanaiste, Mary Harney, who is a T.D. for the area, has also been conspicuous by her silence on an issue which greatly concerns many of her constituents.

Last year, 7794 people attended Peamount for examination, diagnoses and treatment of chest illnesses, 5033 X-rays and 150 theatre procedures were performed, 806 people were admitted for an average stay of 16 days or more and 63 new TB cases including MDRB (Multi Drug Resistant Strain) were treated there.

Is it seriously suggested that, if Peamount closed, all of these people could be treated in the already over-stretched St. James', Tallaght and Naas Hospitals? Peamount Hospital should be developed as a National Centre of Excellence for the Treatment of Chest Illnesses and not have its future recklessly endangered by Government inaction.

Have they not done enough damage already to the Health Services with their cynical abandonment of their pre-election pledge to abolish waiting lists within two years, a promise which can now be truly described as a sick joke?"

23rd April 2004

"The Minister for Health, Micheal Martin, must end his hands-off approach to the crisis at Peamount Hospital and take the steps necessary to secure its future" says Peter Brady, Fine Gael Local Election Candidate