Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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I am aware of that. I want to raise another issue. A brand new outpatient unit and two new theatres have been built the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital. It is waiting for one piece of equipment for one of the theatres, which will be available on 15 December. The theatres cannot be opened because funding for the employment of a consultant ophthalmology surgeon has not been signed off. As a result, the whole section, which was to move from Cork University Hospital, CUH, in Cork to the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital is not going to happen. I am concerned that when funding is provided for a capital project, at the same time it should be ensured that funding is available for the supports that are going in there. I am concerned that this facility has been built and it looks like it might take anything up to six months for it to open. A proposal was made by the South/Southwest Hospital Group to the HSE at central level. There are also brand new premises in Ballincollig, where ophthalmology services were supposed to move from CUH and one section was to go to Ballincollig and another to the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital. As public representatives, we were all shown the facility in Ballincollig more than 14 months ago. It is still lying idle. According to the proposal from the South/Southwest Hospital Group, a total of 35 staff is required. It is great that money is being spent on capital projects, and it is welcome but the two relevant sections of the HSE do not appear to be working together. All this money has been spent and the facilities built are lying idle. What can be done about that? It is a cost to the Exchequer that is yielding no benefit.