I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 132 together.
The service provided by the consultant referred to by the Deputy is currently provided as part of a locum service in paediatric urology at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children. As in the case of all consultant appointments the provision of such a service by a consultant urologist is matter for Comhairle na nOspideal which is a statutory body set up under the Health Act, 1970. One of comhairle's primary functions is the regulation of appointments of consultant medical staffs in hospitals providing services under the Health Acts and to specify qualifications for such appointments.
Comhairle published a report in December 1998 on paediatric surgery services which included paediatric urology services. The report recommended that specialist paediatric surgery for children throughout the State be concentrated in one unit in Dublin with all three children's hospitals providing non-specialist paediatric surgery and less complex urology. Comhairle is satisfied that the report and its recommendation represented the best way forward for the organisation and delivery of high quality and safe paediatric surgical care for children in the State given the presence of three paediatric institutions in Dublin.