Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

The Taoiseach has not offered any reprieve nor has he confirmed the Minister's view that Hanly has been sufficiently tweaked to guarantee the future of accident and emergency services. Does he not recognise that when he talks about a doctor, he is talking about a general practitioner? When he talks about medical, he is talking about people with medical problems and not people presenting as a result of accident and emergency who may need surgery or stabilisation prior to redirection to another major site. These are important services that our local hospital network should be able to provide.

I am sure the people of Ennis and Nenagh will be mindful of the detail of the Taoiseach's response because he has not given them the solace they believe they have received. In regard to Monaghan and Dundalk, a dark cloud still hangs over all our lives. Does the Taoiseach accept that all elected opinion has pressed for a change in this regard and for accident and emergency on-call services to be provided? Does he not recognise that in the radiation oncology service recommended network of radiotherapy centres in Dublin, Cork and Galway——

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