Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

In case the Deputy took me up wrong, I wish to clarify that I said that the Royal College of Surgeons issued a report on surgical services at Cavan General Hospital which it described as dysfunctional. I did not say that; it was stated by the Royal College of Surgeons following its examination of the matter.

The Cavan-Monaghan hospital group has come together and decided that acute surgery will be carried out at Cavan General Hospital. There will be an increase in the number of consultants. The HSE is recruiting three new permanent consultant surgeons to replace the locums there. This will bring to five the number of consultants who will be there. Surgical day cases will be dealt with in Monaghan General Hospital and other patients will continue to be treated there. This is about the surgical services. Consultant surgeons will be in that hospital during the day. The acute cases will go to Cavan General Hospital in the evening time.

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