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

The population of the area is growing rapidly. The five or 12 additional beds or whatever the case may be were on the basis of an assessment done several years ago. That assessment is now outdated. There is a need to review the situation to ensure we can provide adequately for the future, otherwise it will fall by the wayside. It will be like the medical card issues and so on to which I referred. It gets put on the long finger. The problem is that we never know how long the finger is. There comes an end to one's patience when one is waiting to measure the long finger. We are on the Minister's side. We want to deliver quickly, efficiently and effectively. The time for speculation on how the hospital might be closed and all that kind of thing is gone, however. That nonsense arrives every so often, usually when an election, particularly a local election, is approaching.