Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)

I wish to thank Deputy Ó Caoláin for the opportunity to participate with him in this debate, which is extremely important as far as our constituents are concerned in Cavan and Monaghan.

On Wednesday, 10 December last, the Minister, Deputy Harney, met with a group of practitioners from Monaghan after which the doctors concerned sent a letter to the Minister emphasising their grave concerns regarding the proposed closure of acute medical services and causality services in Monaghan General Hospital. They also emphasised that the hospital provides safe, efficient and assessable health care.

Since that meeting and as Deputy Ó Caoláin said, 41 GPs from Cavan and Monaghan have demanded a full independent risk assessment regarding the safety of the proposed closure of 56 acute beds in Monaghan General Hospital and their replacement with six medical assessment beds in Cavan General Hospital.

The GPs are clearly worried about their own capacity to provide a safe service in the circumstances where acute services have been removed from Monaghan and have advised that there will be no further GP representation on any of the HSE planning groups regarding transformation or the medical assessment unit development. It is clear from the doctors' statement published in the Irish Medical Journal and from a discussion today between four Members representing the Monaghan part of the constituency, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, Professor Drumm, chief executive of the HSE, and Mr. Michael Scanlon, Secretary General of the Department, that consultation between the general practitioners and the consultants has not been the order of the day.

While the Members had a frank and open discussion with Professor Drumm through the Minister, it was clear her involvement or interest was less than productive. It is vital at this late stage that the general practitioners and consultants be involved in any discussion or decision towards a safe service. This can only be done through the retention of the acute medical service, the intensive care ward and the accident and emergency treatment room.

This is a last ditch request from all the constituents of Cavan-Monagahan. Four Members of the constituency have united to some degree on this matter because we realise the damage that could be done to lives.

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