Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have listened attentively to the Minister and the words being expressed are the normal reply given in these Houses coming from officialdom within the Department of Health. No assurance is given whatever. We have been told that efforts were made with the locum consultant urologist. I explained in my contribution what happened there. We are being told that those requiring admission or non-emergency admission can be referred to Galway or Ballykelly in the North. There is nothing in the reply stating that sanction or approval has been given by the Minister's Department to allow for the appointment of a new consultant urologist.

Is it the case that the approval has not been given? If the approval had been given, it would have been referred to in the reply. What is the hold-up in appointing a new consultant urologist at Letterkenny General Hospital? As indicated in the Dáil, is it the case that this is a matter for the hospital and approval has been given by the Department? Is the hospital waiting on that approval from the Department? The information I received from the management at Letterkenny General Hospital is that it is awaiting approval and sanction from the Department. I need clarification on that point.