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Mr. 0' Dwyer said that the meeting arose from (i) the immediate problems being experienced by the Western Health Board arising from its 1987 financial allocation and (ii) the Minister's speech in the Dail on 19th May, 1987 regarding the drawing up of a national plan to streamline the acute hospital system. In this regard the Minister stated that officers of the hospital services division of the Department with assistance from Comhairle would commence consultations with management to devise of health boards and voluntary hospitals a plan for each health board area. The Minister also referred to the need for greater liaison between voluntary hospitals and between them and health boards in each area. Mr. O'Dwyer stated it was the Government's intention that there would be no additional money made available for hospital services in 1987 and the 1988 outlook was not very hopeful.