Members of the Association of Health Boards in Ireland are meeting today in Mullingar to discuss the implications of the Hanly report.
Among the recommendations of the report are that there be one major hospital with a full range of services in each of the ten health board regions.
Two boards, the Mid-Western Health Board and the East Coast Area Health Board (ECAHB), were chosen to pilot the recommendations. Limerick Regional Hospital and St Vincent's in Dublin are to become the main centres in these regions, with other hospitals being redesignated local hospitals with minor injury units rather than full A&E departments.
It is estimated the two projects will take between three and five years to be piloted.
Members of the MWHB gave a guarded welcome to the proposals but warned that resources and funding are required to enable them to implement the recommendations. The ECAHB also warned of the financial implications of the plan.
There is growing public and political opposition to the plan to downgrade local hospitals, with a number of large rallies held in Nenagh and Ennis and supported by local politicians.
The Irish Medical Organisation consultants committee strongly criticised the recommendations of the Hanly report and rejected it as "unworkable".
However, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, promised in the Dáil last month that no hospitals will be closed under the Government's health strategy.
