asked the Minister for Health if he will sanction the appointment of an obstetrician-gynaecologist for Louth County Hospital.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Louth Hospital Appointment.
9.
Approval to a post of consultant obstetrician-gynaecologist at Louth County Hospital is primarily a matter for Comhairle na nOspidéal which have the statutory function of regulating the number and type of consultant medical appointments in hospitals. However, there are certain issues in regard to the provision of maternity services at the County Hospital Dundalk which require to be clarified before the question of the appointment of a consultant obstetrician can be proceeded with. Discussions in this regard involving officers of my Department, representatives of the health board and of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, are on-going at this time.
Is the Minister not aware of the apprehension of the people and the GPs in the catchment area of the maternity unit of Louth County Hospital at Dundalk about its future? The GPs and women who wish to avail of the facilities there do not know exactly what the future will be. Does the Minister not agree that it is time that Comhairle na nOspidéal and himself decided that the obstetrician-gynaecologist should be appointed for the maternity unit in Dundalk?
I am very hopeful that the arrangements which I have in mind and which are currently under discussion with the health board and Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital will be accepted. The people of Dundalk will then have available to them in Dundalk for the first time ever the services of a consultant obstetrician-gynaecologist. On that basis at this stage I am reasonably confident that we can deliver a very major improvement in the Dundalk situation.
Will the Minister assure the House and the people of the constituency of Louth that the maternity facilities in Louth County Hospital will continue to be an integral part of the long term plans of the general maternity facilities in the North-Eastern Health Board region?
I have never proposed that maternity facilities in the hospital should cease. I have been concerned about whether the hospital should have resident within the hospital and servicing it on an exclusive basis only a consultant obstetrician-gynaecologist which the hospital never had and which the health board proposed the hospital should have. The arrangements I have in mind — I do not wish to elaborate on them now because of the discussions that are taking place — will give that cover and a major assurance to the people of Dundalk and the surrounding townlands. I am reasonably confident of that. I should like to add that I am grateful to the hospital authorities, particularly in Drogheda, and the health board for the outstanding co-operation they have given me in my efforts to resolve this issue.
Is the Minister aware of the fear, worry and apprehension of the staff of Louth County Hospital about the future of that institution because of the cloud that is hanging over the maternity unit there?
That seems to be an argument.
The view held is that if the maternity unit is closed the general facilities in the hospital will follow suit soon afterwards.
Is the Minister aware that he sent a letter to the North Eastern Health Board in the first week of September in which he stated that there would be three maternity units only in that health board area, in Cavan, Navan and Drogheda? I welcome the Minister's statement today and I hope he pursues the matter to ensure the appointment of a consultant in Dundalk as soon as possible. In view of the fact that the Minister now appears to recognise the need for a maternity unit in Dundalk, I should like to ask him to have another look at Monaghan and change his mind in relation to that hospital also.
I should like to enter a caveat here. The question before the House deals with Louth and, as Deputy O'Hanlon is aware., the Monaghan issue is sub judice. I do not wish the Deputy to start anything that will get out of hand.
I never said or maintained the position that Dundalk should have exclusive to itself a resident consultant obstetrician-gynaecologist. In the last 12 months I have made it clear that there will be three major centres — Cavan, Navan and Drogheda — and that they would have a resident consultant.
I am ruling out any discussion on matter that is sub judice and that has to be made clear.
Will the Minister say if he has any commitment to the removal of any slum hospital in that health board area?
That sounds like argument.
It is not argument; it is a straight question and the Chair knows what I am talking about.
The Chair only knows what he hears when he is in the Chair.
The Chair knows a lot. The Chair restricts his charity in certain instances.
I should like to assure the Deputy that I would dearly wish to do so.
Will the Minister agree that the programme for the maternity services approved by the North Eastern Health Board in February is the most satisfactory proposal put forward? That programme proposes the establishment of five units within that health board area.
The Deputy is infringing a ruling I made.
At the last meeting of the health board I asked how the Ceann Comhairle came to the conclusion that this matter is sub judice As a member of that health board it is my view that any matter which relates to the health of the people of an area cannot be sub judice.
If the Deputy is anxious to find out how I arrived at my decision I should like to say that I would be glad to go into the matter in depth with him bearing in mind the contents of certain documents I have.
I gladly accept the invitation to discuss this matter with the Chair.