Shane Ross (Independent)

I wish to endorse the calls made by several Senators in recent weeks that the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children come to the House to discuss a variety of issues. I particularly seek a debate on the Adelaide Hospital. The leaders of the Adelaide Hospital are meeting the Taoiseach today about what they regard as a highly critical situation for the hospital. Their problem is that a hospital in the fastest growing population area in the country is now being run down. The Adelaide Hospital feels seriously let down by the Government, not just by the decision to establish a national children's hospital in the Mater Hospital but also by the fact that the under-investment in the Adelaide contradicts all the promises that were made by the Government to that hospital in 1996.

A hospital which deals with 30,000 children in the accident and emergency department every year will, apparently, see its children's facility moved. The maternity facilities are also being run down and as a result of under-investment there are probably about 200 too few beds. I do not know if the Tánaiste is aware of this but the hospital is close to her constituency. It is a critical matter that must be debated urgently before something dramatic happens.