Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

There is no great difficulty with any of them. Bearing in mind the difficulties, it still seems that in terms of bed capacity which is being examined by the HSE, it will be necessary to build a step-down facility either in north or west Dublin, the two areas experiencing acute difficulties. The age profile of the population in question which lives in some of the most densely populated areas in the entire country is such that additional facilities are required. Although all the proposed developments will be completed this year, in addition to the developments of 2006 and 2005, four of the 52 hospitals will still face constant difficulties. Two of them are located in north Dublin.

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