Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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367. To ask the Minister for Health to reverse the decision to downgrade community hospitals in County Donegal including Lifford, Stranorlar and Ramelton; if a contingency plan is in place to preserve the services into the future and to prevent further downgrading, removal of the residential care units and eventual closure of the three hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5109/16]

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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368. To ask the Minister for Health to meet with representatives of the Save Our Services group who are campaigning on behalf of the Lifford, Stranorlar and Ramelton community hospitals in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5110/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 367 and 368 together.

The recently announced national programme of investment in public residential units is designed to bring them into compliance with relevant national standards by 2021. The plan includes the development of a new 130 bed centre, centrally located in Letterkenny to ensure that bed capacity in the region, which includes Ramelton, Lifford and Stranolar is secured on a sustainable basis.

Given the requirement for additional services to provide for the needs for older persons right around the country, including Donegal, there will, in parallel with residential beds, be an ongoing need for the provision of short stay services such as rehabilitation, respite, step up and step down facilities, all with a view of maintaining older people in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. In planning for the coming years the use and purpose of the current buildings in Ramelton, Lifford and Stranorlar will be considered in order to ensure that an appropriate service is provided for the older people living in their own community in Donegal.

While the detailed operational planning for future service provision in this context is a matter for the HSE, if a representative of the Group contacts my Office I will consider their meeting request.