asked the Minister for Health if he will consider reviewing the FitzGerald Report on the future of the hospital services having regard to the widespread dissatisfaction with its recommendations.
35.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Hospital Development Programme.
34.
asked the Minister for Health the Government's intentions on the future of Mallow hospital.
36.
asked the Minister for Health if he will list the hospitals proposed for down-grading under the FitzGerald Report.
I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 34, 35 and 36 together. As regard Question No. 34, I presume that what the Deputy has in mind is the detailed recommendations in the FitzGerald Report rather than the basic considerations outlined in the report which call for changes in our acute care hospital system in order to ensure that fully satisfactory arrangements for patient care and treatment can be operated in these hospitals.
These basic considerations have not been seriously challenged. What has been a cause of concern in many parts of the country is the impact of proposed changes in particular cases on the availability of acute hospital services at local level. No decisions have, in fact, been taken about the detailed recommendations for changes in the rural acute hospital system where much of the disquiet has been expressed.
The setting up of the new structures of health administration, that is, the health boards and their county advisory committees, Comhairle na nOspidéal and the Dublin, Cork and Galway Regional Hospital Boards, has afforded an opportunity for reviewing how the basic considerations in the FitzGerald Report might be applied in detail having regard to all the different considerations, Social as well as medical, which arise. I understand that some preliminary work is already under way in a number of these organisations in the development of proposals for the reshaping of the hospitals system taking account of the different factors involved. When these studies are farther advanced, and the bodies concerned are in a position to make recommendations to me, I would then hope to be able to lay down an appropriate programme of hospital development which would reasonably meet the situation.
Mallow Hospital is one of those which would need to be considered in conjuction with the total reappraisal of hospital needs in that area of the country and it would be premature to make any statement about it at this stage.
As regards Questions No. 36, the particular hospitals referred to by the Deputy are listed in the latter part of Chapters 8.9 and 10 of the FitzGerald Report. While there is a copy of the report available in the Dáil Library, I am forwarding a further copy to the Deputy for his convenience.
Arising out of the Minister's reply to Question No. 35, the Southern Health Board had made recommendations to the Minister's predecessor already. Is it right to say that there would have to be amending legislation if the Minister is not going to agree with the proposals of the Southern Health Board? Otherwise, the Minister would have to abolish that board.
I do not think legislation is necessary. The Deputy said that this matter was referred to the former Minister for Health.
Recommendations in regard to the Mallow hospital were made. During the by-election we were told that there was an instant plan for the upgrading of that hospital. Is there or is there not such a plan?
Would the Deputy please repeat his question?
During that period, statements were made and leaflets distributed concerning Mallow hospital. I am asking the Minister, following his stay in Cork last year—which we all enjoyed—whether he is aware that certain promises were made and commitments entered into by the parties now forming government about the upgrading of the Mallow hospital?
Where are those proposals now? Can the Minister act on them without referring them to the Southern Health Board as yet.
I have not seen the recommendations of the health board as yet.
I have asked about the proposals referred to last year? Can the Minister answer questions about them?
The Deputy seems to have made up his mind as to what was going to happen to Mallow hospital. This happened in August of last year. There was a long time between August and January and there was still no decision from the Deputy's government. There was no decision so far as Mallow hospital was concerned from the Deputy's own government.
There was, certainly. What will the Minister do with his party's proposals?
I should like to bring to the Minister's attention the fact that there was a resolution passed by the Southern Health Board calling for the upgrading of Mallow hospital and the former Minister for Health rejected that motion despite the fact that the Southern Health Board was set up as an autonomous body.
Is the Minister aware that these promises were made in Roscommon by an ex-Minister in 1969 and nothing happened since then?
May I ask a question?
(Interruptions.)
I am asking the Minister what he is going to do about Mallow hospital? What proposals have they for this hospital?
I am calling Deputy O'Kennedy.
I am entitled to get an answer.
Deputy Michael O'Kennedy. If Deputy Meaney persists, I shall have to accuse him of being grossly disorderly.
I bow to your ruling but I must get an answer another day. It is only postponed.
Was it ever proposed to close any county hospital, to the Minister's knowledge, or is it now proposed to close any county hospital?
I have no proposals to close any hospitals. I think I have given a pretty comprehensive reply. I have said that the whole matter will be reviewed, including the Mallow hospital.
May I ask the Minister if there ever was, to his knowledge, a proposal to close any county hospital arising out of the FitzGerald Report?
I have no such information here with me.
Irrespective of the discussions that have been going on here about various individual hospitals and their status and in view of the fact that the Minister has said that the basic recommendations in the FitzGerald Report were justified and were good, may I ask for a personal commitment from the Minister for Health that he will pursue the restructuring of the acute hospitals in Dublin and outside Dublin pursuant to the basic recommendations of the FitzGerald Report?
That is already being done.
I am asking for a personal commitment from the Minister.
Would the Minister in his review of the situation give special attention to the situation which obtains on the north side of Dublin city?
The previous Minister refused it.
The whole question, as I said, will be considered. The Deputy will appreciate that I have not had time to study the FitzGerald Report and all its implications.
I fully understand that.