Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)

The question has not been answered. Will the Minister release the information that resulted in these hospitals being discounted so quickly? What is the breadth and depth of it? I understand the Minister is not a clinician but many people would like to know why the Mater Hospital was picked as opposed to any of the other hospitals. All they are looking for is the information on why the decision was reached. Concerns exist that it may not have been as clear-cut as the Minister has implied. The information should be released so that people know exactly why they were not selected. It should be made crystal clear why the HSE considered St. Vincent's Hospital and Tallaght Hospital unsuitable for a tertiary children's hospital.

If the Minister is still intent on closing the National Children's Hospital in Tallaght she should be aware it will have a significant impact on the many other paediatric units across the country. There are supposed to be joined-up policies in all aspects of the health service. What is the thinking of the HSE in this regard, as it will have a profound impact on aspects of the health service around the country? There is a need for the Minister to be honest with people about what she intends to do and why this decision was reached.

The Minister stated that the reason she wants to close the National Children's Hospital in Tallaght and Crumlin Hospital and amalgamate them on to one site was that the outcomes for children's cancer are the only ones in keeping with the EU average. That is an important fact. The Minister only got McKinsey & Company to look at paediatric services across the country. No attempt was made to examine tertiary services for adults across the country. Is there any request from McKinsey & Company to do exactly the same for adult services because that would impact on the future delivery of services? That is an aside and I do not wish to get into a discussion on the matter at present. The HSE should make known how it reached its decision and what its plans are for the future, not just for Tallaght Hospital but for all paediatric units around the country. The Minister should not hide behind the kind of answer we have been getting in recent months.

See this speech in context