Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

I do not accept that. This accident and emergency unit will deal with 48,000 attendances as opposed to 31,000 in Tallaght at present, 9,000 day cases as opposed to 3,500 at present and 58,000 outpatients as opposed to 30,000. The advice is that it is not necessary to have the facility open between midnight and 8 a.m. because a small number of cases would arise during that period. This is the advice of clinicians, not something I have made up off the top of my head. The staff at the centre will be rotated. The paediatric staff from the centre at the Mater Hospital will be rotated and arrangements will be made between the two hospitals, such as ambulances on standby to transfer those who arrive at Tallaght to the Mater site. These logistical issues must be addressed by the development board in conjunction with the hospitals.

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