Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to discuss an issue of local and national importance, namely, the fact the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney, and the Health Service Executive have totally reneged on their commitment and their guarantee to the people of Monaghan that no service would be removed from Monaghan General Hospital until a service as good or better would be available. This very day the management is calling in the unions and later all of the personnel working there to advise what the future will hold for them. I have no doubt from the statements made by senior personnel that if nothing is done through this House, those meetings will have a serious negative effect on the people of Monaghan. In recent times Cavan General Hospital has had to send its patients home before it was prudent or sensible and major questions have still to be answered over some of these cases. Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda had to be taken off call and all this before 58 beds were removed. This is an emergency.

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