James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

There is no provision in capital funding in the current year or next year for a maternity unit for Portlaoise that I am aware of. I will check that with my officials and would be happy to be proven wrong. We live in straitened times and we all know why, because of the previous Government's approach to our economic affairs. Equally, as a doctor, I do not know that €42 million is not enough to run this hospital.

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