Fine Gael has said that services in small hospitals such as Monaghan and Roscommon should be retained until there is a genuine alternative in place that would not affect patient care.
Fine Gael health spokesman Dr Liam Twomey said yesterday the party believed that at present there was no such alternative available.
Dr Twomey said that the infrastructure for routinely transferring patients over long distances between hospitals was not there.
He said paramedic services had not been sufficiently developed, there was no air ambulance system, and protocols to govern the transfer of patients had not been put in place.
Dr Twomey maintained that many of the plans for centralisation of hospital services around the country did not focus on the needs of the patient but rather appeared to be based on cost containment.
The Government and the Health Service Executive (HSE) is facing strong opposition in a number of locations around the country over rationalisation plans for hospital services.
Around 2,000 people attended a meeting in Monaghan during the week to oppose proposals to remove services.
Opposition is also expected in the weeks ahead to HSE plans for the centralisation of cancer services into four new structures.
Dr Twomey said discussions between Fine Gael and Labour on a joint healthcare plan, including the issue of the configuration of hospitals, was continuing.
Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte said these plans were being finessed.
Mr Rabbitte yesterday backed plans for a new campaign to oppose Government plans to centralise paediatric services in a new national children's hospital earmarked for the Mater.
This plan could see Tallaght Hospital, which is in Mr Rabbitte's constituency, lose much of its existing paediatric service.
The HSE has proposed that new urgent care units would be developed in locations around Dublin following the centralisation of hospital services for children.
However, the mayor of South Dublin, Eamon Maloney, said yesterday that the public in the area would not accept "a glorified clinic" replacing existing hospital services.
A public meeting aimed at protecting existing hospital services at Tallaght is to be held on September 25th at the Plaza Hotel in Tallaght.
