Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Whether the Taoiseach likes it, a commitment was made to put in place a medical admissions unit, 100 beds at St. Joseph's Hospital in Fairview and 200 at St. Mary's Hospital in the Phoenix Park. The medical admissions unit has not been provided. When we get into government in a few months, I would like to call in those who are supposed to be responsible for the delivery of these beds. Why does the Government not fast-track those two hospital building projects, if not them all, in the critical infrastructure Bill? Why does the Taoiseach not call in the architects and HSE representatives and ask why nothing is happening, in spite of his having made a commitment to the people to provide the beds mentioned at St. Joseph's Hospital and St. Mary's Hospital?

What is happening in Beaumont Hospital is not a one night stand. It is happening every night and on the Taoiseach's watch. Neither he nor the Government seems to appreciate the scale of frustration, indignity and collapse over which he presides. This is the problem and it will not go away. Will he take personal responsibility to ensure the commitments made by his Government are honoured? If there were a serious accident in the Dublin Port tunnel — God forbid — or on his beloved M50, for which he paid €600 million yesterday, Beaumont hosptial would certainly not be able to cope.

On the problem of long-stay beds in north County Dublin, will the Taoiseach take responsibility for delivering or fast-tracking the 100 beds mentioned at St. Joseph's Hospital in Fairview, 200 beds at St. Mary's Hospital and the medical admissions unit at Beaumont Hospital? Will he answer these questions rather than listing statistics that go on forever?

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