Two hospitals in the northeast are to lose their emergency departments within months, a leaked report revealed today.
A third facility in the region also faces having its unit closed by 2009, the controversial document stated.
The Teamwork Implementation Project Network Priorities 2007showed that A&E services in Monaghan and Dundalk hospitals will close sometime next year, with Our Lady's Hospital in Navan following in two years.
It also revealed that 48 temporary jobs will be lost with the closures, while savings of €7.2m will be made over the next two years.
The document was released today by Sinn Féin, who called on the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, to intervene.
Sinn Féin's Arthur Morgan, said the HSE plans show that the loss of services at Louth Hospital is not about better services but part of a money saving operation.
"This document clearly exposes the real intent of this Government in respect of essential health services in the Northeast generally, and Dundalk in particular," he said.
According to the report, all three hospitals will be hit with major reductions in areas such as medicine, surgery, anaesthesia and radiology.
It said when a new regional hospital becomes operational around 2012, all five hospitals in the region — including Our Lady of Lourdes in Drogheda and Cavan General Hospital will become ambulatory centres — where people will be brought by ambulance to larger hospitals.
Acute psychiatric service will locate to the new regional hospital site.
The party said it has exposed a number of plans that will affect patients at Monaghan General Hospital including the reduction of the treatment room from 8am to 8pm daily, and the transfer of acute medicine to Cavan and of Critical Care patients to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda.
"The HSE and the FF/PD government did not want this document to enter the public arena before the General Election," said the party's spokesperson on health Caoimhghin O Caolain.
In a statement released this evening the HSE said it believes the document refers to draft proposals which were being prepared "in a bid to secure funding for the initial phase of the reconfiguration that is necessary to improve services in the region".
The statement said: "It is unfortunate that this document is being politicised in the way that it has been leaked today, in the heat of a General Election debate.
"It serves only to cause confusion and unnecessary anxiety to staff and service users."
Meanwhile Fianna Fáil described the leaking of the document as "political mischief".
Minister for Finance Brian Cowen said that his party is committed to delivering safe hospital services in the North Eastern Region and that they would not stand over any service reductions in the region.
Mr Cowen said the leaked document was being used to "scare people".