Dr. Mike O'Connor:

I was at the committee meeting with UL Hospitals Group and the Senator asked the same question, so I will give the same answer. Capacity is required in the mid-west and that could be a mixture that includes acute capacity. As the Senator will be aware, the staff in Limerick are focused. They have delivered a block of 96 beds and are following with a second and third block. It is clear as crystal to everyone, and the CEO is doing a fantastic job in putting the message across, that community capacity is also required. We know there are patients in our hospitals who would benefit from step-down rehabilitation. That is probably the solution.

As a technical piece, if we step back and ask whether elective capacity is required, the answer is yes, but we can generate it by adding acute capacity and giving the community capacity.