Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

Nobody is disputing that complex and specialist medical procedures ought to be done at one site. The issue raised by Professor Gill is whether it is feasible not to have a campus both northside and southside, taking into account also that some 40% of the children seeking treatment will come from outside Dublin. Has Professor Gill's view not been borne out? The Government's position sounds credible enough until one looks at it closely. The Government is sheltering behind the review group which, as the Taoiseach put it, said "No" to the original plan. Prior to that, however, other Government bodies recommended 650 beds in two locations.

So what if the review group recommended one site with 300 beds? The Government was previously proceeding with the plan to provide 650 beds on two sites and a large amount of money had already been spent on the Mater site as part of this plan. We are now proceeding on the basis that Tallaght Hospital has been seriously downgraded and commitments given on the charter are not being observed. Crumlin Hospital says it refuses to be "shoehorned" into the site at the Mater. There is serious traffic congestion in Dublin city and one cannot park a bicycle at the Mater Hospital. Yet the Taoiseach says there is no change in the Government decision and that it will go ahead with a single-site solution based at the Mater Hospital.

I do not believe this decision will persist regardless of which parties are on that side of the House after the election. There is widespread acute distress among thousands of parents in west Dublin, north Kildare and west Wicklow about the deprivation of services at Tallaght Hospital. In respect of the catchment area and high reputation of Crumlin Hospital, nobody knows what will happen in circumstances where it refuses to co-operate with what is now proposed. The Taoiseach has not told me much that is new. I am surprised to hear him reaffirming the Government decision.

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