Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for that general reply. A number of public representatives met him in his office a few weeks ago and I thank him for meeting a bigger group that he may have thought would arrive on that occasion. He indicated then that he expected to have a report from the HSE within three or four weeks. Can he advise when he expects to receive it? He referred to planning, negotiations and consultations in his reply and that sounds as if it is a long way off yet and will not happen in the immediate future. He might indicate the timescale he envisages for this.

As the Minister said, consultation is taking place with the GPs. He will know that they issued a letter publicly on this issue in recent days and it is important that it be taken into account. We all agree that patient safety is the first and foremost issue and that quality of service and outcome for patients is the most important issue. The Minister spoke about the demands in other hospitals in the context of his consideration of the accident and emergency department in Portlaoise hospital. He must know that the accident and emergency departments in Naas and Tallaght hospitals are totally overcrowded, all the more reason to maintain the 24-hour service in Portlaoise hospital. We need adequate cover for that.

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