Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would be glad to do that, but the kernel of the matter is simply that this is not a qualification on income grounds. Each time, those responsible come back and ask the same questions on the income of the patient. It is not about the income of the patient; it is about the emergency nature of the request, which has always been provided for but which is slipping away. I thank the Minister for the reply. I would like to see a very fairly urgent response on that for the people who are suffering. I am only talking about those of whom I am aware. I am sure there are many more people affected.

I also want to bring to people's attention again the home care waiting list, which was referred to by my colleague some time ago. There is a serious problem in this regard. We need to resolve it as quickly as possible. Patients are being told that they may not have services for a week or two weeks. A patient who requires a service does not go away. The need for the service does not go away just because there is nobody to meet the demand that exists at a particular time. Somebody needs to emphasise the necessity to look after patients who are caught up in the logjam in this regard.

The final point I want to make, while trying to stay within time, as is my wont, is about Naas General Hospital. I have referred to the latter on a number of occasions at meetings of the committee. I have a long history in this regard.

The curtain seems to have come down in recent times. It is kind of a wall of silence. From past experience in the business we are in, I know that to be decision-making time, which is usually negative from the point of view of constituents' values, concerns and worries. Planning permission has been granted for upgrades and extensions to endoscopy and oncology units and so on for years. It may be that the planning permission has expired. There is no excuse for the long delay, however. It was going to be on the cards as soon as money became available. Well, there is plenty of money available now. I would not like this project to be relegated to the substitutes' bench for the foreseeable future. That will not happen. It is in an area with intense population growth. The hospital provides a critical service to the people of the area and will continue to do so. I know that some changes have been made in recent times. There was no great deal of consultation on the changes or how they affected the delivery of services. It was to meet the cause of something else. I am seeking a clear indication of the proposals in respect of the upgrading and extending of the hospital, as per previous repeated promises.