Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)

I thank the witnesses for the presentation. I am concerned about the time it takes to get all of these projects done. To take the example of the elective hospital in Cork, we are now four years on from when it was originally proposed and there has not been even a planning application submitted, whereas the private sector can turn a project around in three, three and a half or four years from the start, to getting planning to actually building and opening. I am absolutely astonished by how long it takes to make a decision.

As we will not get all of the decisions made very quickly, and even if we do we will still have a timeframe for planning and construction, in relation to the existing infrastructure in Limerick - minor injures units, for instance - we must consider whether we are using them adequately. Could a second minor injuries unit be opened to deal with and release a lot of the overcrowding in the accident and emergency department? Can that be done, as a start?

The second issue I am very concerned about at the moment is the transfer of patients. I have had three cases now where adverse outcomes have occurred. One was a case of a cardiac arrest in north Clare where the patient was transferred to Limerick and then on to Cork. There was a four-hour delay from A to B to C. That person is now in rehab in Dún Laoghaire. The second was a maternity case transferred from Sligo to Galway and on to Cork. There was an adverse outcome there. The third was a recent case of a patient transferred from Tralee to Limerick and then to Galway. Surely in this day and age there must be a way of co-ordinating transfers in a far more effective way in order that we do not have adverse outcomes. It appears to be a big problem now, whether it is in maternity, cardiac or other cases, that there are delays in the transfer and then no satisfactory outcome at the end of the day.

The focus at the moment is on what can be done now that could be delivered within a six-month time period which can help to deal with the numbers who are using the accident and emergency department.