Some of the Dublin hospitals have stated that they are not prepared to take people from outside the Eastern Health Board Authority region as priority cases. I was appalled at the outrageous statement that operations or procedures would not be carried out in Dublin for people outside the provincial area. In defence of the Western Health Board and our major hospitals such as University College Hospital, Galway, no hospital would refuse treatment to people who were not from Galway, Mayo or Roscommon. I am sure this is also true in Limerick. The chief executive officer of the health board and the hospital consultants have never refused treatment to anybody from outside those three counties. Dublin hospitals should never do this either because it is important that whatever treatments are not available outside Dublin should be available in Dublin for the most deserving patients.