I am bitterly disappointed for the staff, patients and their families as to the conditions that patients of Alzheimers and dementia patients are forced to endure in Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, as highlighted by Joe Duffy.

It seems unbelievable that a country with €184b to spend on a National Development Plan cannot afford hot water for these patients. I have been in touch directly with the Minister’s office on this and have pressed them to take immediate action.

I want to challenge the Minister as to why Connolly Hospital sees to be at back of queue for so many things. Just yesterday we saw how may elective surgery procedures were completely cancelled due to lack of beds as a result of emergency cases in the A&E ward.

The HSE has still not provided for MRI scanning and other high level diagnostic machinery to hospitals despite promising to do so for the last seven years. The hospital serves a huge catchment area, from Dublin West to Dunboyne, Finglas and Cabra.

Patients in Connolly hospital in need of MRI and other high level diagnosis particularly for trauma injuries and orthopaedic conditions must be ambulanced from Blanchardstown to either Beaumont or the Mater. These hospitals are 5 miles away in heavy city traffic including crossing the M50 roundabout at Blanchardstown, a return journey which takes at least 2 hours but often much longer traffic conditions being what they are.

Unlike the other major hospitals Connolly is still without its own independent board and so is controlled entirely by HSE. In addition the hosp has no permanent manager with the position being advertised and readvertised on at least three ocassions.

In the case of Connolly the Minister and the HSE are DIRECTLY responsible. Standard of care provided by staff is excellent. Connolly is one of those hospitals where Mary Harney wants to build a private hospital. The necessary improvements have been long-fingered while the ideological row rumbles on.