The Tánaiste has indicated that she believes South Tipperary General Hospital will be included in the Health Department’s planned re-investment in the health service.
Frances Fitzgerald made the comment during Leader’s Questions following a critical report by HIQA relating to recent inspections at the Clonmel hospital earlier this year.
That report dealt primarily with overcrowding at the hospital and the conditions which some of the people waiting on trolleys had to endure, as well as a number of hygiene issues.
In response to questioning from Deputy Mattie McGrath, The Tánaiste admitted that the Minister for Health accepts that there are legitimate capacity issues in the hospital and that it has been experiencing high occupancy rates since January.
Referring to a capital review that the Health Minister intends to undertake – focussing on hospitals that need infrastructural development – the Minister said that she is ‘sure that South Tipperary General Hospital will be one of the hospitals that will benefit from the improved economic situation and the reinvestment in our health service’.
Also speaking in the Dáil yesterday, Deputy Seamus Healy pointed out that 25% of the hospital’s budget, approximately €12 million, has been cut over the past number of years, while the hospital has seen a significant reduction in the number of staff working there.
He also said that he has spoken to Minister Harris who has promised to visit the hospital in due course.
