asked the Minister for Health if he will approve a second consultant obstetrician-gynaecologist post at Monaghan General Hospital, in view of projected births for the area contained in the recent report presented to the board on maternity services; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Comhairle na nOspidéal have the statutory responsibility for regulating the numbers and types of consultant posts in the hospital service.

An application to the Comhairle by the North-Eastern Health Board for approval to a second post of obstetrician-gynaecologist at Monaghan County Hospital was refused in March 1981 on the grounds that the workload in obstetrics and gynaecology at Monaghan would not justify the appointment of a second consultant. The health board have not to date submitted a further application to the Comhairle.

Does the Minister realise that the Department of Health and the Comhairle have reduced the number for double cover from 1,500 to 1,000? There is an anticipated increase in the area. We had 1,000 live births in the area, and 700 of them in that hospital. If we had a second gynaecologist the number using the hospital would increase. There is a projection of a 20 per cent increase to 1,230 births by the end of the century. Is this not the time to prepare?

In 1981 the number of births in Monaghan hospital was 621. Admittedly, a second post of obstetrician-gynaecologist was established in Cavan County Hospital in 1978. The duties of the second post in Cavan were to include a cross-cover arrangement with Monaghan County Hospital, but the cross-cover services have not proved workable for some reason. I accept that the projected number of births in County Monaghan in 1990-91 is 1,231 but, as the Deputy knows, the Comhairle could justify consultancy staff to a maternity unit with two obstetrician-gynaecologists only where births ranged between 1,500 and 2,000 a year.

Does the Minister agree that in the advertisement for the post in Cavan it was stated clearly that there would be cross-cover for Monaghan, but as it transpired it did not materialise? What is the Minister's view on the advertising of the post?

I am rather curious about it and I intend to find out why it did not materialise because it was on that basis that the second post of obstetrician-gynaecologist was established in Cavan County Hospital.

Did the Minister state that to date no further application had been made to the Comhairle by the health board?

Yes.

Is it correct to say that the health board cannot apply to the Comhairle without first making application to the Department of Health? If that application is made will the Department of Health recommend such an appointment?

The position is that if the health board wish to approach the Comhairle the Department of Health must be advised of the cost implications. We will then make our observations known to the health board and our observations, together with the health board's application, go to the Comhairle. It will be two-way traffic in future and as a former Minister for Finance will agree it is about the most appropriate way of doing this.

The Minister should not be soliciting my assistance.