Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)

I congratulate the Irish Examiner on publishing the details of a report that effectively downgrades all of our acute hospitals and enhances the role of CUH. The report, prepared by faceless consultants of whose credentials I am not aware, raises many challenges to the future viability of a number of Cork hospitals, including three in Cork city, namely, Mercy University Hospital, South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital and St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital.

I have managed to get a copy of the report, which starts by stating that it, as an independent report, identifies the optimum configuration of hospital-based services. Has this report cost as much as others? The McKinsey report cost €1 million and one consultant charged €10,000 per day to prepare it. As Chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts, I looked for a copy of it recently, but I have not received it yet.

In response to questions put to Professor Brendan Drumm at a meeting of the Committee of Public Accounts, he said: "The truth is that one could write an awful lot of them oneself" - by which he meant reports. He went on to say: "They are not rocket science but the problem is that it is hard to get buy-in to the proposed change unless there is independent validation of it." Basically, he said that he was prepared to give a significant amount of taxpayers' money to external private consultants to produce reports that recommended what he wanted. He then claimed that they were independent and that he was required to implement them without any real internal or public debate, no matter how good or bad the recommendations. Is this a failure of leadership or Machiavelli at his most devious?

I question the ability of some of the consultants in question. Those who penned their names to the most recent report under discussion are Horwath Consulting Ireland Limited of Clanwilliam Court, Dublin 2, and its partner, Teamwork Management Services Limited from the top floor of some office block in Bolton. I have served the people of Cork city for almost 30 years in the House and I can table proposals that will protect the best interests of the members of the public who I represent instead of the vested interests that are trying to change the face of acute hospital services in the southern region and to override the public's needs and wishes.

I assure the Acting Chairman and the Minister of State that these proposals to downgrade hospitals that have served generations will be fought tooth and nail. Will the Minister of State assure the House that the Government and its Deputies who represent Cork will not stand over these types of proposal to victimise the members of the public who are dependent on these hospitals, which have given so much service?

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