Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)

In respect of the downgrading of hospitals, there is huge anxiety about small and large rural hospitals. What defines a small rural hospital? My local hospital in Portlaoise treated 41,000 emergency cases, so I ask the Minister not to count it as one. Will the Minister contact the HSE today and ask it not to pull acute surgery services in such hospitals throughout the country until the recruitment process has been completed?

See this speech in context