Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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The slow, incremental increase in access, however, is not going to do it for us. The recommendation was that over the first five years of Sláintecare, we would move to free access. The whim of cutting a few bob here and there from each budget does not really do it. We need to start looking at what the legal entitlement to healthcare is for a resident of this country. I ask the Department to pay attention to that.

I raised privately with Mr. Watt the fact that in his opening statement, he referred to two sites in Dublin for elective hospitals. It is news to me that we are, potentially, talking about two elective hospitals in Dublin, which I would welcome. Will he fill us in on that? When are we likely to see them? Will there be one on the south side and one on the north side, and will one of them be prioritised over the other?