Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

A Commencement debate was taken by the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, and she undertook to bring this back to the Department. It is certainly an issue in the Saolta area but across the country, as well.

With regard to delays in the lodging of planning applications for the Galway emergency department, ED, and the whole saga of elective and acute beds in Merlin Park, there is still a huge level of confusion in Galway. This is best exemplified where I have been advocating for childhood orthopaedic theatre and services in Galway. They need a fit-for-purpose, modern facility yet they do not know whether that should be at the University Hospital Galway site or Merlin Park, in conjunction with elective hospitals. The elective hospital will be acute and will not have overnight or acute beds, certainly not in the short term. There is still significant confusion in Galway over progress. When is the ED planning application likely to be lodged? It is long overdue. A temporary ED is being built to facilitate the development of a new ED. Some people in Galway think that is the new ED but it is not. It is a temporary facility. When is the planning permission likely to be lodged?