Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

I do not believe that. When a hospital is available it encourages customers and Athlone citizens go to their general practitioners. Many people who visit accident and emergency units should go to their GPs but it is a chicken and egg situation. GP services in some areas are patchy and that is among the things we are trying to change. I am not in a position to encourage people to open a private hospital, or to discourage them from so doing, but I welcome the fact that Fine Gael wants to see a private hospital in Athlone.