Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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This issue is very important and I thank the Ceann Comhairle for placing it on the agenda.

Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, is the major acute hospital for the region and the majority of regional services are based there. The hospital represents a critical mass of consultants, doctors and nurses for the region and its future is in doubt following the Teamwork report. I tabled the motion because I want to know the nature of the process being used to determine the location of the new acute hospital the Health Service Executive proposes to build in the north east. This process must be transparent and open. What criteria will be used? Will the public have direct access to the consultants who will produce a report and make a recommendation?

Members of the public have a democratic right to express their views and have an input in the democratic process. Political accountability for the eventual decision is needed at Cabinet level. Having met last week with the chairperson of the implementation group and the acute hospital manager for the north east, Mr. Lyons, I rang the HSE yesterday to ask what process would be used in selecting a site for the new hospital and how members of the public could secure direct access to the consultants. I was informed by the HSE that the matter was "under consideration" and it could not guarantee that a public consultation process would take place. It could not tell me what was the truth of the matter.

A lack of transparency, accountability and openness lies at the heart of the Government. People in Drogheda are extremely angry and concerned that the formula for progressing the process does not include a procedure to allow them to make representations regarding the consultants' report.

The recent HSE report examining the current level of services at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda did not consider as a potential hospital site a property owned by the Medical Missionaries of Mary and located adjacent to the Lourdes Hospital site, nor did it examine the possibility of relocating two primary schools immediately adjacent to the hospital. It did not consider using GAA grounds, which are currently up for sale, 20 acres of land owned by the HSE in the area or soccer grounds located immediately adjacent to the hospital. The Health Service Executive has not objectively considered Drogheda as a site for the new hospital or examined all available sites immediately beside the hospital.

People in Drogheda are up in arms and deeply concerned that the hospital will be moved to wherever our political masters or the unaccountable and undemocratic Health Service Executive decide. They are extremely angry and will vote on this issue in the forthcoming general election.

I make my comments without knowing what will be the Minister of State's response. People in south County Louth and Drogheda and the staff of 1,500 who work in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, will not be moved by an undemocratic and unaccountable HSE.

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I will take the adjournment on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney.

The Health Service Executive established a steering group and project group to oversee a programme designed to improve safety and standards for patients in the north-east region. The decision was taken having regard to the issues raised in the report prepared for the HSE by Teamwork Management Services, Improving Safety and Achieving Better Standards — An Action Plan for Health Services in the North East.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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I did not ask about the report.

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I will address the Deputy's concern in a moment. The Teamwork report included a number of recommendations to improve patient care in the region. It specifically highlighted the need to develop a high quality, responsive emergency and planned service in line with international standards. It recommended that there be one major regional hospital in the north east supported by five local hospitals. The new hospital is to provide emergency and trauma services on a 24-hour basis and planned specialist procedures which are complex and require the facilities of a large regional hospital.

The hospital reconfiguration process is being overseen by the HSE steering group which is leading the project. No decision has been made to date on the location of the new hospital. A sub-committee of the steering group has been established to progress the issue of site selection. A consultancy is to be awarded shortly for an independent site location study. The study will take account of various criteria, including demographics, access, planning and development considerations and interdependencies. The HSE expects the consultancy will be awarded by the end of March, with an eight-week timeframe thereafter to undertake the study and produce a report for the executive recommending a location for the new hospital.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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The election will be over at that point. It is a whitewash.

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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A key element of this process will involve the Health Service Executive inviting the public and other interested parties to make a submission on the hospital location. The HSE will place advertisements in the national and local newspapers in the north east shortly and submissions will be analysed by the consultancy as part of the location study. The consultancy will produce an independent report, which will be submitted to the steering group and then brought to the management team of the HSE and the HSE board for consideration. It is expected that the recommendation of the board will be brought when this process is complete.

It should be emphasised that the HSE has given the Minister an assurance that, in progressing the re-organisation of services in the north east, there will be no discontinuation of existing services until suitable alternative arrangements have been put in place.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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The policy has changed since yesterday.