Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his reply, particularly his final point that, further to that process having commenced, he will ask the clinical lead to meet representatives of the relevant hospitals, particularly Tullamore. The steering group in its report and recommendations pointed out that many of the 16 hospitals currently provide acute trauma care and that there are some resource deficiencies which need to be further enhanced in order to ensure the level of provision required to meet their current roles in addition to fulfilling the designation criteria. Can the Minister confirm that there is provision within the capital programme to ensure that whatever improvements are necessary to meet current delivery are made, let alone what might ensue on foot of the designation in the autumn?

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