Ms Kate Killeen White:

They do not lend themselves to the kind of service that we want to deliver in 2023.

With regard to the primary care centre, there is activity in the primary care. I am happy to facilitate the Deputy's request for a visit to that centre. We can arrange that very quickly.

There are a range of services that are delivered in that primary care centre, from dental to civil registration, nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, and dietetics. They are provided to people right across Carrick-on-Suir and south Tipperary. It is a functioning service and there are services being delivered there.

We have gaps, as the Deputy will be aware, in some of our recruitment and retention, and there are ongoing efforts to recruit into our services right across the south east, including in south Tipperary.

With regards to the €5 million that the Deputy's colleague referenced, that was in relation to a new build because, as I said, we were working on the position that the building itself, St. Brigid's, was simply not conducive to the level of upgrading works required for it to become a functioning residential or inpatient service. That €5 million relates to a new build and that was in the action that was published as part of the HIQA report.

With regards to palliative care, we have a new unit in Waterford. It opened last year. It has 20 beds. Over the course of late 2021, when it opened, and into 2022, we have had admissions into that unit from the south Tipperary area. More importantly, people are choosing to remain at home for their end-of-life care. In conjunction with the fantastic service that is provided by the hospice, we have been delivering services into people's home because that is their choice.

I accept what the Deputy is saying about the community of Carrick-on-Suir and that is important to acknowledge. This was not an easy decision for all of the reasons that I have outlined. I accept the Deputy's position in relation to that.

As I said, I am happy to facilitate the Deputy to visit to primary care centre in Carrick-on-Suir. We can arrange that very quickly.