asked the Minister for Health the progress he has made to alleviate the hardship caused to the people of south-west Cork by the closure of the maternity unit at the County Hospital, Bantry, County Cork; the reason consultant out-patient maternity services have not yet been provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Bantry (Cork) Hospital.
130.
I have requested the Southern Health Board to make arrangements for the provision of consultant staffed obstetric out-patient clinics at Bantry General Hospital. The health board initiated discussions with the consultant obstetricians, gynaecologists based at Erinville Hospital and St. Finbarr's Hospital, Cork, with a view to the establishment of out-patient clinics at the hospital which would be conducted by these consultants. The consultants concerned were opposed to the establishment of these clinics. They maintained that under the terms of the common contract for consultant medical staff they could not be required by the health board to provide out-patient clinics at Bantry. The health board did not agree with this interpretation of the common contract and the matter was then regarded as being in dispute. The matter was then put before the interpretations committee of the common contract. The interpretations committee decided that the board's directive to the consultants to hold out-patient clinics at Bantry should be implemented. The health board are at present having discussions with the consultants in relation to the implementation of this decision. I am keeping the matter under review.