Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)

Regarding the HIQA report on Limerick, we are progressing with option A immediately. HIQA says very clearly the inpatient bed capacity is an absolute necessity, and that is the case no matter what else we do. The 96 beds are opening over the next days. We hope we will get positive planning permission for the second block of 96 beds, which is right beside it. We are progressing another 66 beds where we can. We are also looking at other inpatient bed capacity to try to augment that. HIQA distinguished option C as taking a lot longer and not meeting immediate patient demand. When I look at the region over the next 20 or 30 years, I recognise that is a region growing in population and growing in complexity. That is what the planning framework says it should do. It should grow and we want it to grow. The longer term question is what, if any, other hospital capacity do we need. HIQA is not determinative on a model 3. It certainly does not discuss locations. We need to see what the broader model 4 or model 3 capacity needed for that region. The Senator will understand my absolute priority is inpatient bed deficits because that is what HIQA has said. We are up 32 beds this year already. We will have the 96 beds in the next week or two, depending on how quickly it can be filled, and we are then progressing the next 96 as quickly as may be.