Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for her response. She rightly acknowledges that planning permission was sought by the HSE on behalf of the NAS to provide for and put in place a new facility in Edenderry and that it has been granted. She went on to mention that a national emergency operations centre has been set up and that HIQA reviews in 2014 and earlier this year talk about a capacity review and various pilots schemes to seek to have that brought into force and a broader roll out depending on its success.

That is all well and good, and I wish the Minister of State well with that, but I will return to the nub of this issue. A commitment was given, permission was sought and granted and the public, local representatives and I were assured that this will be acted on. I just need the Minister of State to clarify that this will proceed and that this has not been moved sideways or backwards because of the various reviews, the new national emergency operations centre and the capacity review that is being undertaken to see what pilot schemes will bring about the potential for permanent facilities at various locations. I am interested in resolving the issue relating to Edenderry and the greater north Offaly area and adjoining counties, which it serves. I need affirmation and confirmation that having gone to the trouble of getting planning permission and giving a commitment to the locality and its representatives, including the Minister of State and myself, there is no question of that commitment being lost. We need it to be confirmed in the House so that we can assure those people and everybody concerned that this facility will be in place and that commencement will take place this year based on the commitments given to us.

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