Noel Coonan (Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister of State for attending and addressing this matter. Will he clarify the position on the county hospital in Nenagh, where there is much concern among the public? This concern arose initially on the publication of the Hanly and Brennan reports. These concerns were allayed to some extent when the Minister of State's colleagues, including Deputy Michael Smith, stated the Hanly report would not be implemented in full and that there was no concern over Nenagh hospital. Concerns have been reignited by a response by the Minister for Health and Children to a parliamentary question tabled by Deputy Killeen. The response appears to indicate that, because the hospital operates a pilot project along with Ennis hospital in the mid-west, the recommendations of the report will be implemented in full. However, the word "Hanly" seems to have been omitted. The response is causing great concern among the public and resulting in public meetings and disquiet.

I believed it would be opportune to afford the Minister of State and his Department the opportunity to allay those fears, clarify the exact position on Nenagh General Hospital and the services that will be delivered therein, particularly acute services, and the position on the accident and emergency unit. Services are currently delivered through the mid-west strategic plan pertaining to 2001. This was devised by the Mid-Western Health Board, of which I was a member. I had an input into plan. This plan not only envisages the continuation of existing services at the hospital but also the development of specialist services as part of a mid-western regional service. Patients would come from other areas of the mid-west for these services.

The Department has received a submission for approval for sanction to upgrade the accident and emergency facilities, laboratory facilities and endoscopic unit at the hospital and to provide a CAT scanner. It is opportune for the Minister of State to clarify for the people of north Tipperary, rural people in particular, the position on the services that will be delivered at the hospital.