How can the Taoiseach justify the withdrawal of medical treatment from critically ill children in Crumlin hospital?

Of course that is not the case. Regarding a recent case that arose, the wish of the parents is that it would not be discussed publicly. There is no question of any emergency operations required not going ahead. There are issues on paediatrics generally and how we get greater co-operation and integration of services across the three hospital sites in this city. More than €200 million is spent on the provision of those services and it is important that there be full co-operation across the sites so we can get the service levels we would get by doing that. No emergency operations are not being proceeded with.

Last week this House unanimously passed a motion, part of which referred to the fact that we wanted to cherish all the children of the nation equally. The case is not as the Taoiseach says. A theatre will be closed from July to December, two theatres and 20 beds will be closed for the summer months of July and August and there will be a serious cutback of outpatient appointments by 8,500. The Taoiseach and I have both visited Crumlin hospital. It is one of the most fascinating and enthralling areas of medicine to see what can be done for very young children. The Taoiseach is aware of the sensitivity and stress this causes to parents from all over the country.

Crumlin has been deemed to be more than efficient by all standards. It has the required personnel, doctors and facilities. Consultants say children could be treated in other places in Dublin and we have evidence of children going to other hospitals out of the jurisdiction where appointments can be arranged immediately. It is a daft monetary policy that the first thing that happens in terms of the HSE and hospitals is that wards close and operations are cancelled while the lives of critically ill children are put at risk with all the stress that goes along with that. I do not believe there are not areas within the HSE that should be a greater priority for saving than this. It seems, based on evidence given to me by people working in the HSE that wastage in some areas is obscene. We have a children's hospital that measures up in terms of efficiency, standards and quality yet it will be closed down for large sections of this year because of a budgetary overrun. Is the Taoiseach prepared to call in Professor Drumm and his people to advise them that this situation is intolerable? We cannot stand by when critically ill children are not able to be treated in a hospital that has the staff and facilities to do so. The children are placed at risk as a consequence and in some cases they need to be taken to other hospitals where they can be treated. A Government Deputy has described a case from her constituency as shameful and disgraceful. It is not the kind of health system we want. In respect of standing over this decision, is the Government in a position to say that there is no other area within the HSE, that should not have been cut first? At the very least if we aspire to cherish all the children of the nation equally, we should not be withdrawing medical treatment from critically ill children.

I state once again to that there is no question — we have received an assurance — of urgent cases not being dealt with in terms of surgery required or whatever. That is not the case.

That is not true I am afraid. I know a constituent of mine who is waiting.

Allow the Taoiseach to reply, please.

I also want to make the case that hospitals are delivering more treatments to patients than for the same period last year. The question of wards or beds being closed during the summer is a feature of our acute hospital system. On a yearly basis that happens for various reasons. Specifically on this question of urgent or emergency cases, they are being dealt with and will be dealt with. Obviously there is a range of reasons for certain procedures not proceeding. I do not want to go into any individual case on the matter. I would respect the views of the parents in this particular case.

As I have said, the whole question is about trying to improve co-operation between these three children's hospitals so that we can reduce the administrative overhead and give more money to the front line service. Presumably that would meet with the Opposition's agreement since we have a difficult budgetary situation against which we are operating generally. Over the past five years the budget here has increased by approximately 40%. This year it is approximately 3% down on last year because of the tight budgetary situation, but in fairness to the hospital it has also increased activity levels despite that fact. It is important that we all encourage the ongoing process of engagement that would see a greater degree of that €250 million total spend going to front line services than is the case at the moment by reason of the administrative arrangement that exists in the three hospitals.

Closing beds and theatres will not improve administration.