Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)

I think the quickest time it was ever achieved was three years and two months. I was a member of the previous health committee and we held a committee meeting on site. We got a tour of the facility and its representatives spoke about how 96-bed blocks can be built and how the roof can be load-bearing so you can add more onto it. They told us about their frustration that once you complete one 96-bed block, you have to start thinking about the next one. I asked why the height of the building was not doubled or increased to 12 or 15 storeys. In Limerick city, some fine buildings are now high rise. They faced planning obstacles but got permission and the buildings were built. They are hotels and office blocks. I asked why it would not be possible to go down the same route. I asked if there was a planning barrier or something in planning regulation to stop it. They told me the issue was the €200 million spending cap from the Department of public expenditure. There are all these procurement caps. They told us there was a €200 million procurement cap, which roughly equates to a 96-bed block. HIQA should be very concerned with the provision of healthcare facilities. Has it made a submission to the Department of public expenditure to state that this whole process of €200 million caps and 96-bed blocks rolling on every three years is not enough and we need to lift the cap?