St. Bricin's Hospital will provide general medical, surgical, some specialist services and medical supplies to the Defence Forces. That is in accordance with the Defence Forces Review Implementation Plan. There is no hidden agenda and there is no question of keeping people in the dark.
The medical and nursing staff in St. Bricin's Hospital include seven medical officers, two dentists, one chemist and 18 members of the Army Nursing Service. In addition, a number of specialists are engaged on a sessional basis.
The staff requirements are kept under review with a view to ensuring an adequate level of medical care for in-patient and out-patient treatment. There is no hidden agenda and it is my intention to keep a close eye on this in the course of the review which is taking place in accordance with the implementation plans. I repeat that there are no plans to downgrade or reduce any of the services provided in the hospital, which has a total of 64 beds and an operating theatre which caters for personnel from all units of the Defence Forces.
As well as in-patient treatment, the hospital also provides out-patient dental, X-ray, physiotherapy, psychiatric, ENT, pharmaceutical and sports injury services. I fail to see how anybody could argue that there is any downgrading of St. Bricin's Hospital.