Professor Brian Lenehan:

The numbers depend on the acuity of the patients. While we have great facilities in Ennis, we have limited capacity to treat patients who are acutely unwell. We are talking about the more chronic illnesses. That is where the medical assessment unit comes in. That is where they are referred to. If they require admission, they are admitted from the medical assessment unit to Ennis where they receive continual care. Many patients have their whole episode of care in Ennis, Nenagh and St. John's.