Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I think my time is up as well, Deputy.

I will give a short answer and revert to the Deputy with a note on some of them.

Dr. Henry can give a view on the medical assessment units and when they will move to 24-7. There has been a 23% increase in staff numbers in Ennis. When I asked staff in Ennis whether we should consider having a 24-7 local injury unit there, they said absolutely not because there would not be enough people coming through and emergency care doctors and nurses would essentially be de-skilling by working nights with very little to do. The staff in Ennis said we would be far better off putting the money into additional capacity in Ennis, for example, by bringing the MAU to 24-7 because there is a reason for doing so.

With regard to the timing of the review, I want to wait until I see Mr. Justice Clarke's report. We do not have a date for publication and for all we know, it will be challenged. Regardless of any challenge, I will read it and if there are things in it that we need in the terms of reference for the HIQA assessment regarding a second emergency department, I want to put them in place. When we have those terms of reference agreed, we will be able to sit down with HIQA and agree the timeline for the report. Dr. Henry can speak to the advice.