asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that the report of the consultative council on the general hospital services has recommended Waterford city as the location most suitable for the establishment of the general hospital to serve the south-east region; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - South East Regional Hospital.
10.
I am aware that the report of the consultative council on the general hospital services recommended that the general hospital centre for the south-east should be in Waterford.
Waterford was chosen by the consultative council as a suitable location for a general hospital because of the size of its population and its prospects for future expansion. I accept that this is a valid argument and that there is a need to retain a general hospital service in Waterford.
I expect that the hospital requirements of the south-eastern health board area will be examined in depth when the new system of health administration is brought into operation under the terms of the Health Act, 1970.
Can the Minister state categorically that Waterford city will be designated as a centre for a general hospital in view of the report of the consultative committee?
A very considerable degree of difference of opinion was expressed in towns all over the country in regard to where these general hospitals should be located. The regional hospital board will be examining this and will submit their own views to me — in this case it will be the Eastern Regional Hospital Board.
Furthermore, in order to maintain communications with everybody concerned, I have agreed to meet the health advisory committees formed under the Health Act for every county area where this is considered desirable in order to hear their views in regard to the location of these general hospitals. In that way, I will be able to get a consensus of local opinion and be able to estimate that in relation to the further examination of the FitzGerald Report by the regional health board.
In view of what the Minister's predecessor said before the last general election that it could be 15, 20 or 25 years before these general hospitals would be built and put into operation, would the Minister give the House his estimate?
It would take at least ten or 12 years to carry out all the construction required. It will have to be done in stages. I would hope that some of the general hospitals will be in construction in the course of the next four or five years. A decision has to be taken sooner or later in regard to this. There is naturally great rivalry among a considerable number of towns where hospitals with surgical facilities exist: each one is claiming the right to have the general hospital for the area.
Roscommon is fixed, is it not?
What about Monaghan and Cavan?
Surely the present population of Waterford city and the projected industrial expansion in that area, which will inevitably involve an increased population there, would warrant the establishment of a regional hospital in Waterford city?
If the population there increase at the rate suggested by a number of regional reports that have been prepared by authorities in Waterford and if the industrial growth proceeds at the present rate, there will have to be an extension of the general hospital in Waterford regardless of whatever decisions are made as to how far the Waterford general hospital caters for populations immediately outside this area.
(Cavan): Arising out of the Minister's general statement——
This question relates to Waterford city only.
(Cavan): The Minister widened the scope of the question.
I am calling the next question.
(Cavan): The committee under Professor FitzGerald was set up to advise the Minister on the location of these general hospitals. It reported very expeditiously. The Minister's predecessor said he had accepted in principle the FitzGerald Report. Does the Minister still stand over that?
I certainly accept the implications of the FitzGerald Report. One of my great difficulties is that, no matter what pressure is put upon me to make a final decision about the selection of the areas for general hospitals, I know that the patient-load foreseen in the FitzGerald Report is not likely to alter. Therefore, it is useless to imagine that, by moving a general hospital area from one place to another, it will affect the situation materially. The difficulty is the conflicting views as to where the general hospital should be.
(Cavan): If the Minister departs from the recommendations made to him in the FitzGerald Report, and allows himself to be pushed around from one place to another, the end-up will be that no hospitals will be built in this century.
I quite agree. A great many of the claims made to me by various authorities are mutually contradictory in the sense that, if one area wants a general hospital in a particular place, then there can be no general hospital in the next contiguous area. Practically every claim for one area diminishes a claim for another area though they are all made sincerely by people who naturally want to enhance the medical and surgical prestige of their area.
(Cavan): Surely the Minister agrees that Monaghan is out of the question?
In the knowledge that the implementation of the FitzGerald Report will cost £100 million, does the Minister envisage the implementation of the recommendations within the ten years specified? If he does, will he state if plans are already afoot to implement these recommendations?
I have already replied to this on the debate on the Health Estimate. It is impossible to go on replying in the course of replying to ordinary parliamentary questions. I have made it clear that all the advice I can get suggests that the first priorities are the establishment of two regional and two general hospitals in Dublin and one in Cork. That was made clear in the FitzGerald Report and I have made clear that these are the priorities. In regard to the estimate of £100 million, I hope the Deputy is exaggerating the total figure. I should like to believe he is exaggerating it.
It has been stated by the chairman of the Hospitals Commission that it will cost £100 million.
Next question.