Ms Colette Cowan:

I acknowledge Senator O'Donnell, who walked the campus and looked at the various sites and new hospitals for the 96 bed acute block and the modular build. The HSE conducted its own capacity analysis prior to the national capacity plan, which showed that we needed 150 acute beds on the site to deal with the emergency acute activity that was coming in through the new emergency department. The 96 bed and 60 bed blocks were very timely in that plan. We have advertised for a tender to design for the 96 bed blocks. We have funding to do that but we have no other funding in the capital plan yet. The 96 bed project is in the capital plan to be funded from 2020 onwards. It will be a three year build.

The modular build is a 60 bed block, on which a lot of work is under way. The proposal has gone to Government for discussion for funding with all of the other plans for the State under modular builds. We have a timescale for it and we could realistically get the block up within a 12 month period. We have the site identified and the planning process under way. Boring and testing was done in the area last week and we plan to be shovel ready pending approval to proceed.

Senator Conway-Walsh referred to comments that were made about nursing being a protected species.

I do not believe I said on the record that the profession was a protected species, nor would I ever. I am merely giving feedback from the staff themselves, and from the industrial relations representatives. It is important that this be taken on board, notwithstanding that staffing issues, stress and the turnover of staff at board level is difficult for staff as well. I understand that and take that point.