Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

I am speaking about an office. I ask that that officer vacate that particular position as a matter of urgency in order to avoid a conflict of interest and give a clear commitment as to the priorities of the delivery of service as a chief executive officer of a health board. It is important not to have such a conflict of interest. It suppresses the energies of that person to deliver the services she is charged with, on one hand, while, on the other, she is being charged with responsibility to undertake downgrading of the other offices.

Portiuncula Hospital has an outstanding history of delivery of maternity and accident and emergency services. If it is downgraded, after a period of one year under the auspices of the Western Health Board, it will give a warning light to other hospitals that may be in a similar position to have nothing to do with health boards taking over and acquiring private hospitals with the intention of maintaining services into the future. It is of the utmost importance that the Minister of State indicates a firm commitment to develop and maintain maternity services and accident and emergency services in Portiuncula Hospital.

There are 30 maternity beds in Portiuncula Hospital, at which there were 1,800 births last year. If, at the behest of a task force, a Minister can eliminate that service in a hospital that serves a catchment area extending from Longford, Westmeath, Athlone, Roscommon, Offaly to east Galway, we are toying with a situation where there will be a repeat of what happened in Monaghan. Will the Minister of State give a clear indication of the Government's intention regarding the continuation and development of maternity and accident and emergency services in Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinalsoe?