The House will now hear one minute statements on matters appropriate to the Minister for the Environment and the Minister for Health. I propose to call on Deputy Noel Dempsey and Deputy Jimmy Deenihan to make one minute statements appropriate to the Minister for the Environment in the first instance, to be followed by a statement by Deputy Eamon Gilmore appropriate to the Minister for Health. The Deputies are entitled to one minute in respect of each matter and the Ministers or Ministers of State concerned have five minutes between them to reply.
Adjournment Debate. - Environment and Health Matters.
The reason I ask the Minister to approach An Bord Pleanála to waive their rights to legal costs against the community group at Clarkestown in Summerhill, County Meath, is that I believe the community group there and the community generally have been grievously wronged by RTE and Radio Luxembourg. In the original specification regarding the Radio Tara mast RTE stated that the mast should be sited in a sparsely populated area, but that was ignored. The elected representatives of the people of Meath democratically decided that the mast should not be sited in the community, and that too was ignored.
Because of this injustice the community spent almost £20,000 on an appeal to An Bord Pleanála, which they lost. They appealed to the High Court and won their case there. The Supreme Court recently overturned that decision, leaving the local community to face a bill of around £100,000. That is the outcome of their efforts to secure a hazard free environment. I appeal to the Minister to try to restore the faith of the local community in the political system and in democracy.
The scheme I wish to refer to involves the general areas of Rathae-Lyrecrompane and Tournageehy, County Kerry. There are 180 householders involved in the scheme, including 120 farmers and 60 private householders. Many of these houses have wells which are suitable only for farm use and not for domestic use. Other houses have water troughs. However, there are some houses without any water supply whatsoever. These people have been waiting for the past four years for the scheme to commence. The group have carried out all the preliminary work, including the purchase of a site for a reservoir. As 83 per cent of Kerry is supplied with mains water, very little work would need to be done to supply the remaining areas. I appeal to the Minister to ensure that the finance is provided for this scheme immediately.
The case I wish to raise concerns a three and a half year old boy whose parents have been told by St. Michael's Hospital in Dún Laoghaire that he will have to wait for over a year for a tonsillectomy because there is a waiting list of 100 children. The children's ward of that hospital was closed down due to the health cuts. This little boy is in pain. His tonsils are inflamed every two or three weeks and he has already had 12 courses of antibiotics. He got so sick last Sunday that he was rushed to Harcourt Street Hospital. I would ask the Minister to make whatever arrangements are necessary to ensure this boy is operated on quickly. When I raised a similar matter with the previous Minister of State I was informed that action would be taken to try to reduce the waiting list for tonsillectomies at this hospital, but so far that has not happened.
I have no power under the Planning Acts to intervene in the affairs of An Bord Pleanála in the manner suggested by Deputy Dempsey. I do not think it would be right for the Minister to take any action which could have the effect of distorting a court order of this kind. The question of An Bord Pleanála pursuing costs in this case is a matter for the board to decide, having regard to well established principles in such matters.
For Deputy Deenihan's information, in 1990 the Rathae-Lyrecrompane group water scheme was redesigned to include the Tournageehy district to cater for long term water supply needs. Kerry County Council recommended the enlargement of the scheme's trunk mains and they recently submitted proposals in this regard. These are under examination in my Department and there will be no delay in dealing with the matter. Since the extent of the enlargement will have a considerable influence on the overall cost of the scheme it is not possible, at this stage, to estimate the level of grant necessary to complete the scheme.
I am aware that there are difficulties at present in regard to the waiting lists for ear, nose and throat services at St. Michael's Hospital, Dún Laoghaire. I have received a report from St. Michael's concerning the specific case raised by Deputy Gilmore. This child was seen by the consultant ear, nose and throat surgeon at out-patients in St. Michael's Hospital in December 1990 and was placed on the in-patient waiting list for a tonsillectomy at that time. The hospital has indicated that it will be at least one year before the child can be operated on at St. Michael's.
I am aware, however, that there is considerable variation in the waiting time for tonsillectomies for children between hospitals in the Dublin area. For example, the waiting time for tonsillectomies for children at Our Lady's Hospital, Crumlin, is nine months and at the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital it is six weeks. In an effort to be helpful in regard to this case, I suggest that the child's family may wish to consult their GP about the possibility of referral to another hospital.
As regards ear, nose and throat services at St. Michael's Hospital, I understand that a locum ENT consultant provides a limited service at the hospital consisting of one out-patient and one in-patient session per week. I understand that Comhairle na Ospidéal, the statutory body for the regulation of consultant medical appointments, have recommended that ear, nose and throat activity at St. Michael's should be confined to clinics, ward consultation and day surgery in accordance with their policy document on the development of ENT services. In this context my Department will be reviewing the organisation of surgical services generally in Dublin south-east and the role of St. Michael's in regard to ear, nose and throat services will be specificially examined as part of this review.
The Dáil adjourned at 11.5 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Thursday, 21 February 1991.