Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 75: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if, further to the publication of the Teamwork report and the recent release of a Health Service Executive document entitled Teamwork Implementation Project, she will confirm that the accident and emergency departments of hospitals in Monaghan and Dundalk will be closed in 2008 and in Navan in 2009; the 48 jobs that will be lost as a result of this cutback of services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17727/07]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 104: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the discussions she has had with the Health Service Executive regarding the implementation of the Teamwork report proposals which would see further loss of services in Monaghan, Dundalk and Navan hospitals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17351/07]

John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 114: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the selection process for the location of the new regional hospital in the north east; the criteria for this selection; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17631/07]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 152: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of submissions received proposing a location for the new regional hospital in the north east; the persons who made the applications; their proposed location; the date a decision will be made on the location; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17643/07]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 156: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on whether, further to the release of the Teamwork Implementation Project document, it is safe to withdraw local accident and emergency services without alternative services being in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17728/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 75, 104, 114, 152 and 156 together.

I am familiar with the approach being adopted by the Health Service Executive in seeking to improve safety and standards across the acute hospital network in the North East Region, having regard to the issues raised in the Teamwork Management Services Report — "Improving Safety and Achieving Better Standards — An Action Plan for Health Services in the North East". The Teamwork Report includes a number of recommendations to improve patient care in the region. It particularly highlights the need to develop a high quality, responsive emergency and planned service, in line with international standards. It recommends that there be one major regional hospital in the North East, supported by the five existing local hospitals. The new hospital is to provide emergency and trauma services on a 24 hour basis and also provide planned specialist procedures that are complex and require the facilities of a large regional hospital.

The hospital reconfiguration process is being overseen by the HSE Steering Group which is leading the project. No decision has been made to date on the location of the new regional hospital. A sub-committee of the Steering Group was established to progress the issue of site selection. Following a tendering process, the HSE appointed consultants to carry out an independent site location study. The study, which the HSE expects to be finalised in August, will take account of various criteria including demographics, access, planning and development considerations and interdependencies.

The specific issues relating to the criteria for the selection process and submissions relating to the new hospital are a matter for the HSE. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to have these issues investigated and to reply directly to the relevant deputies.

The first step 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. Over the next few years, in preparation for all acute emergency in-patient care and complex planned care being provided at a regional centre, services at the existing five hospitals will continue to be improved. My Department has been advised that the existing hospitals will continue to provide services which meet the majority of health needs of the community.

The HSE has given me 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. The HSE advises that the implementation plan will involve some level of redeployment of existing staff, including the 48 staff referred to, but that the plan will result in an increase in the overall number of staff in the region.