Ms Eilísh Hardiman:

I am glad to clarify that because there has been some misinterpretation of information that has been shared in respect of the private clinics. When we say that there is an entrance, there is an entrance to all of the outpatient clinics. It is an entrance off the concourse; it is not an external entrance to the private clinic. As the Deputy will appreciate, there is high footfall from the point of view of outpatients in that area. We have a large concourse and each of the outpatient areas has an entrance off that concourse. That was just written into the brief of how one gets into the concourse. It might have been misinterpreted as if it was a special entrance outside. It is no different. The facilities there are no different from the public facilities for the outpatient clinics in the area. There are 119 rooms in the outpatient area and a suite of nine for private clinics.

CHI is aware that the policy position is that there are clinics and private health medicine in public hospitals. We are familiar with the de Buitléir report and Sláintecare, and if there is a change in the policy position, CHI will implement any such changes and is willing to do that. Contractually, as an employer we have a legal obligation to the effect that our clinicians are entitled to see patients privately on our site. We have three private clinics in the existing hospital so it is about following through on that.