Vol. 431 No. 8
32 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the excellent, efficient and economic service being provided by the Cork Regional Hospital; and if he will immediately sanction the additional consultant staff sought by the hospital.
I am conscious of the major contribution of the Cork Regional Hospital to the delivery of public hospital services in the Munster region.
The provision and management of services at the hospital are, in the first instance, a matter for the Southern Health Board. This responsibility necessarily involves the identification by the board of staffing and service needs at the hospital within the context of the overall financial resources available to it.
Under existing employment control procedures, all health agencies are required to submit to my Department prioritised proposals for the filling on a permanent basis of all new and replacement posts. My Department's examination of such proposals is undertaken having regard to service and personnel criteria in the context of the priority afforded to each post by the agency and in particular to the availability of financial resources.
Consideration is being given to the submission from the Southern Health Board in respect of consultant posts at Cork Regional Hospital having regard to the criteria already outlined and the board will be informed of the outcome of these deliberations as soon as possible.
The Deputy will also be interested to know that Comhairle na nOspidéal is currently carrying out a review of the consultant manpower requirements in the Southern Health Board area.
