The Taoiseach recently told the House that the Hanly report was Government policy. The purpose of the Hanly report is to reduce Nenagh and Ennis Hospitals to the status of local hospitals, with a nurse-led, minor injury unit provided during daytime. Does the Minister for Defence support the view that Hanly is Government policy and will be implemented?

On the aide-memoire published in The Sunday Tribune, which typifies the complaints we are getting about the health services up and down the country, the Minister for Health and Children compiled an aide-memoire for Government setting out that €400 million worth of capacity is lying idle; it cannot be equipped or commissioned because of the absence of funding. He said in the memorandum that he could provide €35 million from own resources but it would require a commitment of €50 million on an ongoing operational basis to operate the plant concerned. What is Government policy in respect of that?

It would allow the opening of Mullingar Hospital, which has been lying vacant for years. It would allow the opening of the new wing in James Connolly Memorial Hospital, which has been lying idle for a year and about which the Minister of State, Deputy Callely, said in reply to Deputy Burton a few days ago that it could not be commissioned because of the absence of service staff — cleaning, lighting, heating — and that the cost of that would prevent it being reopened.

My colleague, Deputy Wall, has a reply in respect of the 60 beds kept closed at Naas Hospital. It states that the main barrier to opening beds in the old hospital is in the control framework of the South Western Area Health Board's employment ceiling, which will not facilitate the employment of additional staff numbers at this time. We have a similar situation in terms of critical units at Wexford Hospital. Throughout the country, badly needed beds in acute hospitals could be open. What is the Government's response to that aide-memoire, and what is the position of the Minister for Defence on the Hanly report?

The funding which has been provided for the health services over recent years is without any previous parallel. Deputy Rabbitte knows that since 1997, the total amount of expenditure on health has been increased by 188%.

Answer the question.

Last year, for the first time ever, more than 1 million patients were treated between in-hospital and out-patient facilities, 47,000 more than the previous year, and that has been a consistent pattern in terms of investment in health and health strategies.

With regard to the Hanly report, Deputy Rabbitte has indicated that both for Ennis and Nenagh hospitals, the accident and emergency services would be changed.

No. Hanly has indicated that, not me.

Yes. As Deputy Rabbitte knows, even though he has outlined it, that aspect of the report has been changed——

Bye-bye Hanly.

——and Dr. McAvinchey of Nenagh Hospital publicly stated, for everybody to hear, how he and others were satisfied with the new arrangements which are being put in place to ensure that accident and emergency services continue in those two hospitals.

Is it only those two hospitals?

The main thrust of what is contained in the Hanly report will be implemented——

Everywhere else?

——but changes have been made in the accident and emergency services.

Sacrifice on the altar of Hanly.

The Minister for Health and Children has announced those and they are widely acceptable to the local community.

What is happening in Monaghan?

Allow the Minister to continue without interruption.

As far as the building programmes which Deputy Rabbitte outlined are concerned, there are a number of projects which have been completed but have not been opened. Negotiations are continuing between the Minister for Health and Children and the Minister for Finance for the additional resources that will be required for that but every project will be opened.

Where?

Deputies can be assured that the necessary resources to make that happen will be put in place as soon as possible.

Excellent.

There will be one and a half million people sick next year.

I am bound to say to the Minister that it is not true that policy in accident and emergency provision has been changed. I ask the Minister to contain himself and not to utter any words that will embarrass us.

I know what has been changed in Ennis.

The Minister should allow Deputy Rabbitte to continue without interruption.

I know what the people opposite are trying to do but they are not going to wrap Nenagh and Ennis hospitals around themselves——

The Minister had his opportunity. It is Deputy Rabbitte's opportunity now and he will have a chance to respond.

Will the Minister indicate to the House how policy on accident and emergency provision has changed? The issue applies far wider than the examples I gave of Ennis and Nenagh. It applies to Mallow and several other hospitals I visited.

Tuam.

The only change in respect of Nenagh is that two years grace has been given to get the Government past the local and European elections on 11 June. This threat exists right across the spectrum.

I am not talking about buildings. I am talking about capacity lying idle, identified by the Minister's colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, as being to the extent of €400 million. I am talking about badly needed beds that might be opened in a range of areas from Mullingar, Naas and the other examples I gave that would take tremendous pressure off the system and allow the delivery of more professional and speedy services. There is no point in the Minister saying to the House they will be provided as soon as possible. The aide-memoire I mentioned earlier went to Government the week before 2 May. What is the response to that? Will the Minister tell the House precisely how policy on accident and emergency provision is changed? Since when will Hanly be implemented everywhere else but not in Nenagh?

Once again, Monsieur Lapin has got it wrong. The situation in Nenagh is not——

It is difficult enough to take the Minister in English.

——as Deputy Rabbitte has described.

Is the Minister sure that is parliamentary language?

Allow the Minister to continue without interruption.

I know Deputy Rabbitte would love to convince the people in north Tipperary and elsewhere that the change will be only made for two years, but that is wrong.

Of course it is. They told me. I was there.

Is the Deputy travelling out of Dublin?

That is untrue. The Deputy's party has a disgraceful record as far as the county hospital in Nenagh is concerned, at a time when it had the resources and the Health and Finance portfolios.

The Minister should stop misleading the House.

Allow the Minister to continue without interruption.

You are not going to wrap Nenagh Hospital around yourself in this election. I will make sure you do not.

If the Minister would address his remarks through the Chair he might not invite interruptions.

One cannot open a building unless one builds it first.

Please allow the Minister to speak without interruption.

Is that a French concept as well?

They will be opened. The House need not worry.