Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

The consultants, Dr. Charles Burn, Dr. Pat McHugh, Gerry O'Mara and Liam McMullen have written an open letter to the people of Roscommon stating that the proposal is to have day surgery only at Roscommon County Hospital, and no acute surgery. That would mean the accident and emergency department at the Roscommon hospital would have no future. I made the point to Professor Drumm here in the House on 8 November last when we had an open meeting with him. He stated the negotiations on Portiuncula Hospital and Roscommon County Hospital were under way and would be completed next year. Frankly, the position is that the people of Roscommon will not stand for this after all that has happened. Twenty years ago I was in a position in the then Department of Health to prevent the hospital being turned into a district hospital.