Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Higgins report has yet to be received by the Minister for Health. A consultation process was undertaken and various meetings took place in that regard. The report will go to the Minister for Health and will be considered by the Government when it is presented by the Minister for Health.

Work has been under way on the framework for smaller hospitals. All of this has to be seen in the context of the reform of the health system by the Government which is under way, and the move to universal health insurance and a single tier system of health service which is the reform the Government is pursuing.

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