Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation
Dail Éireann — 2026-10-01
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John Clendennen (FG), Offaly

Today I would like to raise the provision of diabetes care and services for the people and families of Offaly and the midlands. The HSE acknowledges the importance of timely access to appropriate diabetes care, yet waiting times for this service at the Regional Hospital Mullingar, RHM, are over two years. I have had a number of constituents in touch with me. One individual, diagnosed at childhood, cannot apply for a mortgage or get on the property ladder because he is awaiting an insulin pump. Another constituent has been a patient of Mullingar for ten years. Following half a dozen appointments, he is still awaiting an insulin pump. It is simply not good enough.
I acknowledge the work the Minister in her efforts to reform the way the HSE works, but the HSE is now issuing letters to patients advising that diabetes day care services in Mullingar are suspended due to staff shortages. We spoke about small businesses here a minute ago. There is no small business in this country that would close its doors because of staff shortages, regardless of the expert levels required, and we have to see the same level of resilience and imagination in the HSE. I would ask that the Government look at reversing this decision and give peace of mind to patients because there is a level of dismay and concern out there in regard to the circular from the HSE.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-10-01/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-10-05T01:01:00+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-10-01