Mr. Damien McCallion:

I will provide some numbers for the Deputy. The hub in west Dublin, in Tallaght, has been open for some time. It is still not at full capacity, as in being open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. six days a week, but it is working very close to that. Hubs are for day cases only, not inpatient care. In Tallaght, about 80% of its day case patients are undertaking that procedure, while other patients need to remain in the hospital because they are clinically complex cases and may need access to ICU and so on in the event of issues arising. Of the procedures that are done, approximately 75% are compliant with the Sláintecare target of 12 weeks. That is a positive outcome and the reason for the investment in the other hubs around the country. The time it will take to get to that level in each of the other hubs will vary depending on the waiting lists in those geographic areas. Essentially, over the 18 months to two years of the operation of the hub in west Dublin, that has been achieved for the basket of procedures it applies to. There are still procedures that need to be done in hospital and day case work. Over time, we anticipate, clinically, that further procedures will move to a day case basis. Over time, that is the general trend, even for things today that may require complex. Dr. Ní Bhriain may wish to talk about that.