asked the Minister for Health if he will arrange for the immediate reappointment of a paediatrician in the County Hospital, Roscommon; and if he will make a statement explaining the delay in making this appointment.
Written Answers. - Appointment of Paediatrician.
28.
The regulation of the number and type of consultant medical staff in hospitals engaged in the provision of services under the 1970 Health Act is a function of Comhairle na nOspidéal. The appointment of a replacement paediatrician for Roscommon County Hospital was considered by the Comhairle at its meeting on 22 November 1985. Having considered all the factors involved the Comhairle decided that the application should be refused on the grounds that:—
(i) as a matter of policy, the Comhairle does not support the concept of single-handed consultant appointments in situations where the potential for a second appointment does not exist, and
(ii) the policy of the Comhairle, as set out in its 1979 publication on the "Development of Hospital Paediatric Services" is to develop general paediatric services in parallel with maternity-neonatal units.