Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)

The programme for Government commits to the six surgical hubs, two in Dublin, and one each in Waterford, Limerick, Cork and Galway. There is a big concern about this above the Galway-Dublin line. The programme for Government committed to explore the establishment of a surgical hub in the north west. In a recent radio interview on Highland Radio in Donegal, the Minister of State, Deputy Marian Harkin, stated that she had negotiated the location of this hub to be in Sligo.

As the Taoiseach will know, there is a crisis in surgical services at Letterkenny and 171 doctors or consultants have signed a letter to the Minister. In fairness to the Minister for Health, she has been engaging. She now has had two meetings with the representatives of the 171 doctors and they have reported that she is listening and considering the facts. The programme for Government says that the establishment of a surgical hub in the north west would be explored. I ask the Taoiseach to clarify that that is not a closed matter and is being actively considered by the Government. I suggest that the solution may well be two surgical hubs to reflect the unique geographic circumstances of the region, which the Taoiseach knows well. A person who lives in north Donegal, in my part of the county, which is Inishowen, would potentially have to travel five hours to reach the nearest model 4 hospital in Galway. That is an example of the unique geographic challenge of the region. A call to consider two surgical hubs has emerged. To be clear, I ask the Taoiseach to clarify that a final decision has not been made and this matter is not subject to a deal in Government negotiations and the Minister for Health is actively considering the proposal.