Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I am answering Deputy Ó Caoláin. As Deputy Ó Caoláin is aware, I have met the group — the people at the coalface, the medics, the GPs and the consultants — twice. I am sorry that Deputy Ó Caoláin feels that the local public representatives might have known more than the consultants and other staff. I agreed to meet the group which I thought would best know how the hospital should be run, rather than acceding to a late request which I received from some public representatives.

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