asked the Minister for Health whether he is aware that the people of Carrick-on-Shannon are strongly opposed to any proposal to close the Carrick-on-Shannon District Hospital in the course of a hospitalisation scheme in County Leitrim; and if he will consider the retention of this district hospital as an adjunct to the projected new county surgical hospital at Manorhamilton.

The proposal to close Carrick-on-Shannon District Hospital is contingent on the building of the new hospital at Manorhamilton and on the work to be carried out subsequently in improving Mohill District Hospital. It will, therefore, be some time before the closing down of Carrick-on-Shannon Hospital can be considered. While the Deputy will appreciate that in the interests of efficiency and economy the maintenance of hospitals in towns comparatively near one another must be subjected to rigorous scrutiny I can assure her that no decision to close Carrick-on-Shannon District Hospital will be made without a thorough investigation of the circumstances prevailing at the time and that I will give the fullest consideration to any representations which are then made to me in the matter.