Minister signals A&E shutdowns

A move to shut down some of the country’s 28 emergency departments has been signalled by Health Minister James Reilly.

Dr Reilly said the controversial initiative could be a good idea after the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) warned that a lack of resources meant that not all emergency departments across the country could be sustained.

Acknowledging that any move to close emergency departments would be politically explosive, Dr Reilly insisted his record proved he would not flinch from reform whatever the opposition.