Fine Gael TD Hildegarde Naughton has said Fianna Fáil and the Greens are putting politics ahead of patients in healthcare with their wishes to change the National Development Plan.
“We are all well aware that waiting lists, including at University Hospital Galway, are too long,” Deputy Naughton said.
“The elective hospitals in the National Development Plan are the answer,” she said, adding that there is a “much needed” 200 plus bed hospital in the plan for Galway.
“These hospitals will deal with all elective procedures and free up acute hospital beds.”
She said that any changes to the National Development Plan would be putting “politics ahead of patients”.
Recently the Green Party and Fianna Fáil have questioned how the government’s newly published Climate Action Plan can be reconciled with the National Development Plan.
They have said that large scale road projects under the plan are at odds with the goal of cutting carbon emissions.
Hildegarde Naughton accused Fianna Fáil of not supporting new projects including roads “or the creation of vital new hospitals”.
“The Government Climate Action plan has been welcomed by the independent experts in the field but Fianna Fáil and the Greens are willing to put vital health expenditure at risk to score cheap political points.”
Several major healthcare infrastructure projects in Galway are at various stages of development including a new elective hospital at Merlin Park and a new Emergency Department for UHG.
