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

Not in the Cork-Kerry region which is why I am saying that there is a need now to engage with the HSE locally to see if we can get more contracted beds. I accept that there are 60 extra beds built in Heather House which are being brought into use which are very much welcomed and the Minister was down there recently with me. There are also an extra 50 beds in the new facility in Blarney. I understand that will not open until perhaps early next year. Can that opening be brought forward so that we can deal with congestion in both the Mercy University Hospital, MUH, and in CUH?

On the radio on Sunday we heard the tragic case of Vivienne Murphy, a young girl of ten who had to be transferred to Dublin because CUH does not have an ICU facility for children. There is planning for a new paediatric unit in Cork. When will the funding be allocated for it so that what happened to the Murphy family will not happen to another family?