Vol. 482 No. 3
185 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for Health and Children the current position in relation to the need for a paediatric consultant to be appointed to the new Tallaght Regional Hospital, Dublin 24 in view of previous commitments in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17579/97]
Discussions are ongoing between my Department and the Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Dublin incorporating the National Children's Hospital concerning service and staffing issues relevant to the new hospital at Tallaght. While a post of consultant paediatrician has been included by the hospital in their consultant staffing proposals, the Department has not yet received a completed application for this post. It has been indicated that sympathetic consideration will be given to such an application. However, as the regulation of appointments of consultant medical staff is the statutory responsibility of Comhairle na nOspidéal, final approval will be a matter for An Comhairle.
