Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)

We have had reports from Horwath, Wrixon, Teamwork and Professor John Higgins and today's Irish Examiner claims that all acute services other than those provided at Cork University Hospital, CUH, will be done away with. Subsequently, a HSE press release stated that Kerry General Hospital will be excluded from the process. What will be the position of acute services in hospitals other than Kerry General Hospital and CUH from 9 June?

The people of the region have been through the mill, given the obfuscation on simple questions on the future locations of acute services for the countless thousands served by hospitals in, for example, Mallow, Bantry and Cork. We want a little bit of decency and for people to tell us their intentions with regard to acute services. Mallow General Hospital is efficient and at the top of its league in terms of cleanliness and the other HIQA statistics. It needs its acute services, given its catchment area of more than 150,000 people.

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