Micheál Martin Hospital changes due
He said the Government intends to bring specialist services to the regions. His comments follow the publication of the Hanly report into staffing levels in the health service.
Under the plan major hospitals will provide full services seven days a week while a network of smaller hospitals are to concentrate on day surgery and community care.
More consultants are to be employed and the hours opf junior doctors are to be reduced.
The report recommends a new contract for consultants under which they would provide 24 hour cover with more flexible working practices.
Opposition criticism
Opposition parties have strongly criticised the Government's reaction to the report, claiming all they are doing is setting up yet another committee.
Fine Gael's Olivia Mitchell said it was the 'worst kind of report' as it offered no realistic solutions on how to handle a pending crisis in the health service.
Deputy Mitchell also criticised the proposed reduction in the number of hospitals delivering A&E services from 40 to 12, saying it is not equitable, safe nor acceptable.
Liz McManus of Labour said the health services needed urgent decisions rather than more committees or working groups.
She accused Minister Martin and his Cabinet colleagues of feeling that it is safer to kick the issue of the new configuration of the hospital service to touch until after next year's local and European elections.
Ms McManus welcomed the report's recomendations on manpower, but she said it should be noted that no additional money whatsoever has been committed for the implementation of the report.
She added that money, manpower, mobility and motivation are key issues in the report, but there is as yet no evidence that the Government is capable of responding to that challenge.
