Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister, and Mr. Reid and his team. I want to raise a number of issues and I will focus on Limerick. The last time I was here, I mentioned that the blood clinic in UHL closes at 12 noon on a Friday and it needs to be open longer. It is stopping people from being discharged or some end up being sent to the hospital because there is nobody to read their blood count.

In regard to the beds at St. John's, while I welcome the announcement this morning, when I inquired two weeks ago and brought it to the Minister's attention, my understanding was there were 20 beds at that stage. I want to know if five beds have disappeared since that time.

I welcome the centre that was opened last Wednesday by the Minister of State, Deputy Daly, on behalf of the Minister. Mr. Reid referred to new ways of doing things in regard to the discharge of patients. There is a proposal in the capital plan for 120 replacement beds at St. John's hospital. If that was brought forward, it would certainly help to free up the beds in the hospital so procedures could be carried out.

I have a question for the Minister of State, Deputy McGrath, regarding respite. He has a fund for respite homes. St. Gabriel's School and Centre in Limerick has a six-bedroom respite unit ready to go and the HSE released funding recently for a staff member to manage the facility. However, funding to get the rest of the respite centre open is what is necessary. I have spoken to the Minister about it. Will he visit the facility the next time he is in Limerick? It would certainly help young people with disabilities.