asked the Minister for Health if he has reached a decision on the future of Nenagh County Hospital, County Tipperary arising out of his examination of the reports submitted to him.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Tipperary Hospital.
6.
I have not yet completed my examination of the comments received from the various health administrative bodies and local health committees on the recommendations made on the future hospital development programme for the country as a whole by the joint working parties representing Comhairle na nOspidéal, the regional hospital boards and the health boards. Until I have completed my examination of the views submitted by the various bodies concerned and have taken account of all the factors involved in this complex study it would not be appropriate for me to make a statement relating to a particular hospital. I can assure the Deputy that I will make a statement on the hospital development programme as soon as I can do so.
I understood from a reply which the Minister gave me earlier that he has had these reports in hand for some time. Could he give any indication as to how soon he will be in a position to make a statement on this and other hospitals? I believe he has had the reports for some months now.
I could not give the Deputy any guarantee that I will be able to make a statement on the whole hospital situation in the country. I should remind the Deputy, of course, that the original report, the FitzGerald Report, was in the hands of the last Government for five years and they did nothing at all about it.
The Minister must be aware that the reports he referring to now referred to specific hospitals and I think, rather different from the FitzGerald Report, have very specific consequences for various hospitals. I think the Minister recognises the difference between that and the FitzGerald Report and I cannot see the relevancy of what he said.
I see the relevance between the exercise I asked the working party to undertake and the task that was given to the FitzGerald Report which mentioned certain hospitals for attention and certain hospitals for phasing out. I have not yet made a decision.
Question No. 7.
Will the decision be made in weeks or months?
Months.
Did the Minister say months?
Yes, months.
Is the Minister deliberately withholding a decision or this until after the 18th June?
Question No. 7.
If that is the attitude taken by Deputy Molloy what excuse has he for going to the country on two occasions without doing a damn thing about the FitzGerald Report?
(Interruptions.)
Is the Minister suggesting that the FitzGerald Report should have been implemented as it came out without any consultation with the local interests involved?
Five years?
Question No. 7.
It was I who decided that all the local interests involved would discuss the matter with the working party. As I said, as far as the FitzGerald Report is concerned nothing was done. It was a report by 12 people given to the then Minister for Health who did nothing about it up to the time the previous Government relinquished office.
Question No. 7.
Who established Comhairle na nOspidéal?
The Chair has called Question No. 7 on a number of occasions.
Will the Minister tell us——
Deputy O'Kennedy, the Chair must be heard. Question No. 7, please.
(Interruptions.)