North East Doctor on Call is based on the campus of Our Lady's Hospital, Navan. It is based on it because Navan is the biggest population centre in the county and geographically it is at the centre of the county, to which there is easy access for everyone in the rest of the county. It is also based on it because it allows easy access to the emergency department in the hospital. At least ten patients every week are wheeled from the North East Doctor on Call to the emergency department. Navan has lost a lot of stuff in recent times, including the ETB centre and the Garda divisional headquarters. Now we are being told that the doctor on call service is to be removed from Navan in a matter of weeks, which will radically reduce access and create a need for the further use of ambulances. The Minister's colleagues are probably saying this is meant to be just temporary, but the house in which North East Doctor on Call is located was meant to be a temporary location, but it is based in the building 19 years later. The people of County Meath and staff in the hospital are opposed to the service being moved out of Navan. I appeal to the Minister to find another location in the town.

I will certainly check it out, but I can assure the Deputy that Navan is being supported and has not been forgotten by the Government. The Deputy told the people of Navan eight years ago that we were going to close the hospital. Not only have we not closed it, we have made it busier and have plans to make it even busier.

Is it still part of the Government's plan to reduce it to a level 2 hospital?

As long as the Minister of State, Deputy English, is looking after Navan, the Deputy need not worry, we will keep the hospital busy.