Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

I will be taking this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney.

The Teamwork report, prepared for the Health Service Executive clearly indicated that the service configuration in the north-east region was unsustainable. It recommended a reconfiguration of hospital services across the existing five hospital sites in order to ensure the highest level of patient safety. The report also identified a significant future role for all five hospital sites in the provision of acute hospital services.

The report has helped to inform the approach being adopted by the HSE to the implementation of its transformation programme. The programme involves widespread and fundamental change and is designed to build a health system that is in line with the model of care emerging internationally. The overriding aim, which the Minister fully supports——

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