asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking in the short term to provide hospital out-patient facilities for certain people in Tallaght, County Dublin.

I have agreed, in principle, to a proposal submitted to me by the liaison committee of the Meath and Adelaide Hospitals to establish consultant staffed out-patient clinics at Tallaght.

Officers of my Department are having discussions with the Meath and Adelaide Hospitals and the Eastern Health Board regarding the provision of the required facilities and accommodation for this service.

Is the Minister aware that proposals to specify premises where the out-patient facilities could be provided have been turned down and that no serious genuine effort has been made to find premises which are readily available in the large new town of Tallaght?

The Deputy will have to give me a little time to get all the programmes back on the rails again because they were derailed for some time. This project is one I will pursue with urgency and I have noted the Deputy's remarks.

Will the Minister be prepared to authorise the renting of appropriate premises, if they are available?

I will be prepared to consider any steps that are necessary, including the proposal made by the Deputy.

Tallaght is now a town with upwards of 70,000 people but there are no hospital facilities, in-patient or out-patient, available there and I should like to know if the Minister agrees that it is a matter of the utmost priority.

I am so aware and as evidence of that I should like to point out that I created the Tallaght Hospital Board and got discussions under way between the two hospitals involved to get the programme in motion as soon as possible. I will take all necessary steps to improve the position on an interim basis, apart from the long term requirement.

Will the Minister give an approximate indication to the people of Tallaght of when they can at least expect out-patient hospital facilities?

Discussions are progressing between the Department and the Meath and Adelaide Hospitals and as soon as they have concluded we will set about providing the required facilities.