Fine Gael TD Joe Cooney has said it is important that the Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, sees the healthcare situation in County Clare “at first hand” during a visit to the county on Monday, 11 May.
Deputy Cooney has been engaging with the Minister and her Department in recent weeks to arrange the visit.
“I’ve been engaging with the Minister and her Department over a period of time to organise this visit and to make sure Clare was a priority,” he said.
“The Friends of Ennis Hospital also extended an invitation in recent weeks, and I was keen that this would be progressed quickly. It’s positive that the visit is now going ahead.”
A programme for the visit is currently being finalised, with a focus on giving the Minister an overview of healthcare delivery across the county, including rural areas.
Deputy Cooney said he will be bringing the Minister to west and north Clare to experience the reality facing patients.
“It’s important that the Minister sees the reality of living in Clare, particularly in west and north Clare where distances and access are real issues,” he said.
“I’ll be bringing her through those areas so she can see at first hand the long journeys people have to make to access hospital care.”
“You only get a proper sense of that by travelling the county and meeting people on the ground.”
Deputy Cooney said the visit will include discussions on a number of key issues, including hospital capacity and ambulance services.
“We’ll be having open and honest discussions about what’s needed. The development of a Model 4 hospital in Limerick will be part of that, but there also needs to be strong investment in services here in Clare, particularly at Ennis Hospital and in our ambulance provision.” “This is an important opportunity to ensure the Minister hears directly from people in Clare and sees clearly where the gaps are. That has to be the starting point for delivering improvements.”