Mallow TD Eoghan Kenny has welcomed Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s com-mitment to the full opening of the new wing of Mallow General Hospital.
Speaking directly to the Taoiseach in Dáil Eireann on Tuesday, Deputy Kenny asked a question regarding the current state of the hospital, in relation to the issue surrounding two of the four floors in the new wing still not being fully operational, despite the unit being open for over a year.
“In relation to Mallow General Hospital,” the Cork North-Central TD began, “you will be aware that a 48 single-bed unit has opened at the hospital. There are two floors of that four-floor unit still not open, I would ask you to look at the feasibility of opening both of those floors.”
In response, the Taoiseach outlined his commitment to making the new hospital wing fully operational. “There’s been a lot of investment in Mallow Hospital in the last number of years…we will certainly follow through on opening all floors of the new wing of the hospital.”
Deputy Kenny responded positively to the Taoiseach’s reaffirmed commitment, saying “This is very positive news, and I will follow up with this now by contacting the HSE. I will continue to work on maintaining and upgrading services at our hospital in Mallow.”
Deputy Kenny also raised the issue of the transfer of the blood transfusion service from Mallow to Cork University Hospital, saying “I would also ask you to look into, or for the Minister for Health to look into (as I have), the transferral of the blood transfusion service to Cork University Hospital from Mallow General Hospital, which is putting more pressure on CUH, taking that service which we currently have in Mallow, and the staffing levels which now are decreasing because those services are being taken. It’s very important we keep those services in regional hospitals, like we have in Mallow.”