Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I raise this issue for obvious local reasons relating to the general hospital, which is pivotally located in an area of rapidly expanding population and is greatly instrumental in assisting the delivery of the health services in this catchment area. The population is growing at a rapid rate and any five-year population predictions are now accelerated. This enhances the importance and pivotal nature of the hospital and its services.

In recent times there have been some changes. There are a number of clinics - a warfarin clinic, a stroke clinic and antenatal care clinics - which have been very important to the area and of great convenience to the local population. This is somewhat preceded by the Minister's strong support for the hospital at yesterday's meeting of the Joint Committee on Health at which I raised a similar issue. I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House again this evening to respond to this debate.

We had a long battle over the years to ensure that Naas, being where it is in this pivotal location, could strive at all times to achieve the highest possible standards in care, the extent of the care and the extent of the level and quality of service that it can and does provide. It has excellent and reliable staff at all levels. Of course, from time to time, as with all hospitals, there are queries about how we could make improvements. With that in mind I bring it to the attention of the Minister of State that this is a pivotal part of the delivery of health services in the region and will remain so. Any intervention that has the effect of changing the extent, the scale and the quality of services is to be challenged and will be challenged.

In order to ensure that we have the highest possible standards applicable and the highest level of service continually available in the hospital, it is imperative that the voice of the people be heard regarding those services. It is there for the convenience of the people and has been working very satisfactorily for the people. In order to continue that service in this area which has been traditionally associated with huge dependency in so far as the locals over a wide catchment area are concerned, I ask the Minister of State to reiterate what his senior colleague, the Minister for Health, said at yesterday's meeting of the Joint Committee on Health at which he clearly and robustly indicated that the intention was to continue with the expansion of the hospital in line with expectations and in order to ensure the continuation of service.

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