James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

I made the position clear. I made clear why we face the position in which we find ourselves. It is due to the current economic fiasco left by the preceding Government. The health sector, just like any other of the spending Departments, must make savings and we have had to make very unpleasant decisions to stay within budget. These are not decisions that I particularly like but they must be made.

It is not all one way action by any means. As I have told Deputy Ó Caoláin, a framework document on small hospitals is being worked on. There will be opportunity for all Deputies to have an input. There will be consultation. There will be more services of a safe nature brought to smaller hospitals.

I mentioned previously the many new services that have evolved in Louth County Hospital which is close to Deputy Ó Caoláin's constituency of Cavan-Monaghan. The footfall of people through that hospital has increased dramatically as a consequence. The future for smaller hospitals is around services that can be delivered safely in those hospitals, not the very complex emergency department facilities which are restricted to the major hospitals.

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