Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

It is evident from the €2.5 million allocation made by the former Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Martin, that we will have 40 extra jobs in the Roscommon hospital accident and emergency unit. The nine observation beds in that unit will open and St. Colman's ward is currently being refurbished. That is a clear commitment to the retention and development of the accident and emergency unit at that hospital and that also applies to many other hospitals.

I invite the Minister to visit Roscommon early in 2005 to officially declare open the new accident and emergency unit of the hospital and view the excellent facilities. We have four consultant sessions weekly in the accident and emergency unit and are seeking a second consultant for four further sessions. That proposal has been forwarded to Comhairle na nOspidéal. I ask the Minister of State and his officials to take note of the application and to approve it as quickly as possible. Roscommon County Hospital has on call radiologists approved by the Department. It deals with 13,000 accident and emergency visits annually in a very busy unit. It has two excellent physicians.