Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I very much welcome this Bill. The Government promised there would be constituency reviews and that the number of seats would be reduced. While I very much welcome this I want to say goodbye to the good people of south Leitrim who were very loyal to me in 2007 and 2011. The constituency Roscommon-South Leitrim will now be Roscommon-East Galway and, as a TD for Roscommon-South Leitrim, I intend to live up to my obligations along with the other TDs in the constituency - I note the Minister of State, Deputy Perry and other Deputies are present - to work on behalf of the people for Roscommon-South Leitrim during the lifetime of this Dáil. More than another three years remain of this Dáil and there are many issues with which I have to deal such as the enhancement of Roscommon Hospital, compensation for turfcutters, schools and hospitals in Ballinamore, the retention of jobs in MBNA and other issues including bringing back employment to the area.

I look forward, God willing, to contesting the next general election in 2016 in the Roscommon-East Galway constituency but that would be at the behest of the Fine Gael organisation. I am very honoured to represent the people of Roscommon-South Leitrim and to have represented an area, which will be in part of Deputy Ó Caoláin's constituency, and I wish whoever represents the people of that area well.

Roscommon Hospital is not closed; it is twice as busy it was in 2010. An application for planning permission has been submitted for a new endoscopy unit at the hospital, the cost of which will be more than €3 million. By the time that is finished in the next few years Roscommon Hospital will be twice as big, five times busier but, most important, patients will be much safer.

I thank the people of south Leitrim and Roscommon and I intend to remain as their TD doing the work a TD is elected to do until the end of this Dáil term in three years time.

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