Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Although I accept the difficulty involved in providing assurances, clear commitments were made previously to protect services in smaller hospitals. While the report refers specifically to some hospitals, it fails to mention others. For example, it does not specifically state that all services currently provided at St. Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny, and Clonmel General Hospital will be retained. On the other hand, it is at pains to point out that Wexford, Letterkenny and Tralee hospitals will retain their current services for reasons of geographical spread. This omission is causing concern.

To follow up on our discussion in the Chamber this morning, I am not condemning the hospital groups report. My party agrees that the proposed changes are necessary. However, it would give people confidence in the process if they were given an assurance that current services will be retained. This will be very difficult to do given that the chief executive officers of the various hospital boards will be given responsibility for drawing up a business plan that is to be submitted to the relevant boards and, subsequently, passed along the new chain of command, from the director of services to the HSE board to the Secretary General of the Department and, ultimately, to the Minister. This is a circuitous route. The CEOs will be required to live within the budget in delivering services and will, therefore, dictate which services will continue to be provided in which hospitals.

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