Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator O'Donnell is constantly and understandably on my case about the emergency department in Limerick because it is a very important issue in Limerick. I visited the current emergency department with the Senator and it is wholly unfit for purpose. It would be a cause of great frustration to see a brand-new ED sitting idle while people worked in extraordinarily difficult environments. Patients are in a very difficult environment. The commitment I have given Senator O'Donnell, which I intend to honour, is that we will work together to ensure we can open that when it is ready. It is something I want to work with the HSE on. It is a small gap that we need to bridge and I am committed to working with the Senator and the HSE to see we do.