The Minister for Health has appointed Mr David Hanly to head up a group aimed at overhauling the State's acute hospital services.
Mr Hanly, whose report concluded a re-organisation of acute services reducing the working hours of consultants was necessary, will chair the Acute Hospital Review Group.
It has been tasked with preparing a plan for the Interim Health Services Executive for the reorganisation of acute services, taking account of the recommendations of the National Task Force on Medical Staffing including spatial, demographic and geographic factors.
The group also includes: Mr Paul Barron, Assistant Secretary, Department of Health and Children, Dr Richard Brennan, Chairperson, Irish College of General Practitioners, Mr Niall Cussen, Senior Adviser on Spatial Planning, Department of the Environment and Local Government, Dr Joe Ennis, Consultant Radiologist (retired), Mr Chris Flood, representative of public interest, Dr Fergal Hickey, Consultant in Emergency Medicine, Sligo General Hospital, Dr Tony Holohan, Deputy CMO, Department of Health and Children, Dr Mary Hynes, Regional Manager, Acute Hospital Services, Western Health Board, Dr Jim Kiely, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health and Children, Mr John Kelly, Consultant Surgeon, South Infirmary, Cork, Dr Peter Kelly, Consultant Histopathologist, Mater Hospital, Dr Geoff King, Chief Executive, Pre Hospital Emergency Care Council, Prof Gerry Loftus, Consultant Paediatrician, University College Hospital, Galway, Mr Pat McLoughlin, CEO, South Eastern Health Board, Mr Tony McNamara, General Manager, Cork University Hospital Group, Southern Health Board, Dr Maire Milner, Consultant Obstetrician/Gynaecologist, Louth/Meath Hospital Group, Ms Orla O'Brien, Director of Nursing, Tullamore General Hospital, Ms Ann Marie O'Grady, Chief Physiotherapist, Beaumont Hospital, Dr Eamon Tierney, Consultant Anaesthetist, Wexford General Hospital, and Dr Cillian Twomey, Consultant Geriatrician, Cork University Hospital.