Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

That was not referred to in the motion. Deputy Reilly mentioned the reference to 135 beds in the Teamwork-Howarth report. The report said that 135 beds would be needed if the specialist orthopaedic hospital in Croom and the stand-alone maternity hospital were to be closed, and we were not to have elective procedures in Ennis and Nenagh. As we are not doing those things, we do not need 135 beds. We will have elective procedures in Nenagh and Ennis, to where the doctors and surgeons will travel.

See this speech in context