Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister for State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher, to the House.

Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)
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I also welcome the Minister for State. I wish to share time with Senator Joe O'Reilly.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Is that agreed? Agreed.

Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)
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In 2007, a consultancy firm was engaged by the Health Service Executive to carry out work on the possible location of a new regional hospital for the north east. The company in question, The Health Partnership, received 44 submissions from potential locations in counties Cavan, Monaghan, Louth, Dublin and Meath. I understand that two submissions were made from County Cavan and that the proposal regarding a site located in Virginia is one of three that have been short-listed for detailed examination, the others being Ardee and Dunleer in County Louth. At its initial launch, the experts who prepared the Teamwork report believed that the new hospital should be sited in the south of the north-east region because of its larger population. However, I disagree and an intense lobbying campaign has been carried out subsequently to have the hospital centrally located within the region. A strong submission was made by the Virginia Development Association and its supporters to have the hospital located in Virginia close to the M3. Cavan County Council also has played a vital role in the campaign by placing at its disposal a 64-acre site close to Virginia. In addition, the county council made a presentation to the Health Partnership, the company charged with responsibility for deciding the new hospital's location. More than 2,500 jobs would be created and significant spin-offs for the economy within a 30-mile radius of Virginia would arise.

Although Fianna Fáil and the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Brendan Smith, support the provision of a new regional hospital, it should not be at the expense of Cavan General Hospital. It should be a regional hospital that will lead to enhanced services at Cavan General Hospital. The Taoiseach recently outlined clearly that the new regional hospital proposed for the north east will be on a par with the best in Europe and it is evident that such a facility will be for the benefit of all the people of the north east region. Essentially, this new hospital will provide those services that are not available to the people of the four counties of the north east and will reduce the region's dependence on access to Dublin hospitals for many aspects of care and treatment. It makes no sense to propose the location of the new regional hospital for the north east on the outskirts of Dublin or in the towns located close to its outskirts.

Cavan County Council unanimously supports the location of the proposed new hospital in Virginia and my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Brendan Smith, has given his full backing to the location a number of times. Moreover, he continues to fight for further investment in Cavan General Hospital and for enhancements to its services. To date, investment of more than €10 million is under way at Cavan General Hospital. The new modular building for outpatient cardiac rehabilitation has been provided and the provision of 21 additional beds, four high-dependency beds and a fourth operating theatre is under way and is almost complete. Major investment has been provided in recent years at Cavan General Hospital and this will continue.

I repeat that Fianna Fáil councillors and the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Brendan Smith, fully support the provision of the new regional hospital and its location in Virginia.

Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister of State and thank my colleague, Senator Wilson, for sharing his time on this issue. I greatly appreciate it and it is consistent with his approach to public life, in that he puts the interests of the community ahead of narrow partisan considerations. I reiterate my full commitment to and belief in the maintenance and development of services at Cavan General Hospital and at Monaghan hospital. In that context, I condemn outright the content of yesterday's leaked HSE document that heralded a reduction of services in both. The regional hospital should be built at the most satisfactory of the remaining locations under consideration. I understand the Cavan town proposal and a number of others are no longer on the list. Of the remaining sites, Virginia is by far the most satisfactory for the following reasons. First, it is best placed geographically. Second it is located on the N3, as well as the on new M3 motorway. Third, it is sufficiently far from Dublin to reduce gridlock. Fourth, a fully-serviced site in public ownership is available. I urge the HSE to bear in mind these crucial considerations when making the decision.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I apologise for the absence of the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney. I will take this adjournment matter on her behalf.

The aforementioned Teamwork Management Services Limited report, Improving Safety and Achieving Better Standards, which was prepared for the Health Service Executive, found that the present system in the north east, whereby five local hospitals deliver acute care to a relatively small population, is exposing patients to increased risks. The report recommended a three-strand action plan comprising the development of a new regional acute hospital; the development of local services with the existing five hospitals and primary and community care providers playing central roles; and the development of a series of clinical networks to bind local and regional services to the needs of patients, including networks for emergency care, surgery and critical care.

The hospital reconfiguration process is being overseen by the HSE steering group. Following a tendering process, the HSE appointed a firm of consultants to carry out an independent site location study for the new regional hospital. The Department has been advised by the HSE that it anticipates the consultants' report will be completed in February. The report then will be considered by the board of the HSE.

The first priority in the development of a fully integrated regional health service is to ensure that the people of the north east have local access to both routine planned care and immediate life-saving emergency care. In the next few years, in preparation for all acute emergency inpatient care and complex planned care being provided at a regional centre, the existing five hospitals will continue to provide services that meet the majority of health needs of the community. The HSE has given an assurance that, in progressing the implementation of the Teamwork report, there will be no discontinuation of existing services until suitable alternative arrangements have been put in place.

With regard to recent reports in the media concerning services in the north east, the HSE has advised the Department that no decisions have been taken regarding a reduction in services in the region. The HSE has indicated it is facing a challenging year and is exploring how best to deliver services within budget. Senior managers in the north east met recently to discuss the budget for 2008 and how services could be delivered. The document which was leaked to the media is a "draft internal document arising from that meeting which sets out certain options for consideration".

The HSE has advised that it expects to be in a position by mid-February to be more definite about service provision for the year. I acknowledge the valid points of Senators Wilson and O'Reilly and I will deliver their message to the Minister.