Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I ask that it be sent on to me because I raised it previously. We are going to have significant demands now. There are many very specialised people who work in the theatre on operations but we also need that backup support. Can we have that report? The officials might outline what progress has been made on that matter.

The third issue is the elective hospital for Cork. Where are we with that because my understanding was there was a detailed plan submitted to the Department in January and we are now six months on from that. What is the timeframe? When are we likely to have the site clearly identified and a work programme prepared? I ask because tomorrow we are doing the opening of a new extension to Heather House in Cork. In fairness to the HSE, that is a 60-bed extension and the turnaround time was 18 months. The HSE started in November 2020, the site opened up in January 2021 and we have a finished building in 18 months. Where are we with the elective hospital in Cork? What is the timeframe and when are both the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Department of Health going to sign off on it?