Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The question cannot simply be dealt with on the basis of adding to the status quo, but by reorganising the service within the acute hospital system. This requires not simply the commitment of more resources, which are envisaged by the Government in the package announced by the Tánaiste to be implemented this year, it requires the full co-operation of everybody in the acute hospital system, including consultants. Regarding the accident and emergency department as in some way separate from the rest of a hospital is not a means by which these matters can be resolved. In many parts of the health service this problem is not as acute as it is in some hospitals. There are reasons why problems exist in those hospitals——

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