Ten days ago the former CEO of the HSE, Mr. Tony O'Brien, made a serious attack on Navan hospital. He stated that the emergency department in Navan was a target of the HSE for closure. He also undermined the morale of the staff and the confidence of the general public by attacking the quality of the service there. It was shocking given that Mr. Tony O'Brien was, and the HSE is, responsible for the quality of service. The Taoiseach opened the accident and emergency department in Navan a couple of years ago. Does he have full confidence in the service? Will he ensure there is proper funding to make sure a quality service is provided there? Will he guarantee that there will be no closure of the 24-7 accident and emergency department in Navan hospital?

I worked in Navan hospital long ago as a senior house officer in medicine and, as Minister for Health, I opened the new emergency department there. My experience of the hospital is that it provides a very good level of service to patients who had medical conditions and older people with pneumonia or urinary tract infections, UTIs, the people who sadly might end up on a trolley in a big hospital. They get very good care and do not end up on a trolley in Navan. We must recognise what the hospital does well and I would be concerned about the impact any diminution in services there would have on Drogheda and Connolly hospitals, which are now performing much better than they did in the past. However, we must ensure that specialist services happen in the right place and changes may well occur over time.