Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I note again, with some vexation, that the Minister has not seen fit to take this Adjournment debate. Perhaps it is past her bedtime, or does she continue to have little or no interest in hospital services in the north east?

The Health Service Executive confirmed in a letter to me two weeks ago its plans to remove all acute care from Monaghan General Hospital and to downgrade it, essentially, to a minor injuries unit. The HSE has confirmed the death sentence for Monaghan General Hospital and in reply to my Dáil question today the Minister also confirmed that sentence. The Minister and the HSE confirm the ongoing implementation of the so-called transformation report, which I revealed in April. The HSE is denuding Monaghan of services and working towards a deadline that, if adhered to, will mean that by Christmas 2008 Monaghan General Hospital, as we have known it for some years, will no longer be a hospital.

When read carefully the HSE letter, entitled "Developments in Cavan & Monaghan Hospital Group Services" and dated 3 September 2008, reveals a number of inconsistencies, raising huge concern about future patient care. It speaks of having specific measures "in place and bedded down prior to or in parallel with the transfer of acute care to Cavan" by the end of November. I note that those words are repeated in the Minister's reply to my parliamentary question today. What does "in parallel with" actually mean?

The HSE says it is committed to the enhancement of ambulance services, including an additional 24 hour emergency ambulance at Monaghan ambulance station, bringing the number of ambulances from two to three. Will we be faced with a situation where acute care is removed from Monaghan before the extra ambulance is provided? How long would such a gap in services be allowed to continue? We have seen in the past where the HSE commits in principle to provide new services but we wait months or years to see them delivered.

There are currently 3,000 acute medical admissions to Monaghan General Hospital per annum. By the end of November this service will have to be provided by Cavan General Hospital, which already has to cater for 5,000 acute medical admissions per annum and has 160% bed occupancy. This is to be done under this plan without a single extra bed being provided in Cavan. How can this be achieved?

The plan for the destruction of Monaghan General Hospital must be opposed in the strongest possible manner by the entire community and every elected representative. I welcome Deputy Rory O'Hanlon who is here to view the debate this evening because I believe it must include the Fianna Fáil TDs for the Cavan-Monaghan constituency. Like all Opposition Members, they too must be called to account on this matter.

Surely what is good for Roscommon is also good for Monaghan. How is it that we have not been able to prevent the loss of services at Monaghan General Hospital through the years, yet, with apparently little effort, such a situation can be put on hold, checked or reversed with regard to a hospital elsewhere in the State? We want equality of access to health services for all citizens.

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