asked the Minister for Health if he has received any approaches from the Adelaide Hospital, Dublin, to provide an out-patient department hospital service in Tallaght hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

A comprehensive out-patient department is being planned as part of the proposed new hospital for Tallaght.

In the meanwhile, discussions have been taking place regarding the provision of an out-patient service in Tallaght pending the provision of the hospital.

These discussions have been going on for a long time and they should now be finalised. The outpatients' facility should now be provided especially as the Adelaide Hospital is not only willing but anxious to provide this service in Tallaght. What has been the delay in making this available and can he say when we will have this facility in Tallaght which is so sorely needed?

My Department and the Eastern Health Board have now received very detailed proposals regarding the specialist clinics to be provided in the Tallaght area in paediatric medicines, paediatric orthopaedics, paediatric surgery, medicine cardiology orthopaedics, urology, surgery, gynaecology, dermatology and psychiatry. All the sessions are agreed now and the staffing is proposed. One of the conditions laid down by the hospital is that there should be no transfer of resources from the existing hospitals to Tallaght. That matter has to be resolved, but I am very hopeful that a very early decision will be made on setting up the service. The site for the new hospital should be in my possession very soon. I can assure the Deputy that I will not delay on this matter and that neither are the Eastern Health Board delaying it. They have been very much involved in this whole question.

At what location will the out-patient facility be provided and on what date approximately may we expect the service to be in operation?

There is a difficulty in that regard because if a temporary outpatients' unit is built in advance of the main hospital the work of the clinics would be hampered by a major building programme being in progress around them. The Eastern Health Board, who are involved in discussions with the hospitals concerned, have identified a possible site in the centre of the old village of Tallaght and that possibility is being pursued. I have a comprehensive brief in regard to the approximate date of operation but I will communicate with the Deputy on that matter. I assure him there will be no undue delay so far as I am concerned.

Will the Minister please bear in mind the extreme urgency in this case, the pressing need for the clinic?

I will bear that in mind and I can tell the Deputy that the Meath, Adelaide and the National Children's Hospitals are all extremely anxious to move to Tallaght as quickly as possible.