James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

At least the Minister clarified one thing for the people of the north-east. It is all about money and not patient safety. As the Minister well knows, the reason we are not mentioning Navan hospital in tonight's motion is that any question in regard to it would probably be disallowed if it influenced the motion. To get back to the real question, the Minister has acknowledged that it is a matter of money, not quality of care in regard to elective surgery. She also mentioned that a consultant was placed on administrative leave. That consultant has since been cleared and is off that leave, so I do not get any sense from her of any real patient safety issue as regards her decision, through the HSE, to close Navan hospital. Having mentioned earlier the shortage of anaesthetists at Drogheda, it is difficult to see how the greater area can cope. Clearly, we are going to see a deterioration in patient services in the north-east.

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