Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Heydon. I assure him of the Government's commitment to the future of this hospital and to seeing it progress, and not just as a stand alone project. This year, €58 million has been committed to Naas General Hospital, which is a very significant part of the health budget and is well deserved. I pay tribute to and acknowledge the commitment and dedication of the staff in the hospital but also the management team, the hospital network and group that are looking ahead. They will have their ducks in a row to ensure that Naas General Hospital can avail of the funding that will become available in any capital development plan. I commend them for future proofing those projects and for their forward thinking in that regard. The integral role Naas General Hospital plays is recognised, not just in terms of the immediate catchment area of almost 1.25 million people but in terms of the entire hospital network, including St. James's and Tallaght hospitals. The number of people it serves is a crucial cog in that wheel. That is well recognised by the Department and the Health Service Executive and will ensure that these projects are progressed in a timely and progressive manner. I thank the Deputy for his interest in the project and ensuring that it receives ongoing attention at a political level and proceeds to completion. We all want to see those stages.

On the Deputy's closing comments about mental health services, I would be delighted to take him up on his invitation to visit the area to see what is not working and, more importantly, what is not working with a view to seeing how we can, with his help and that of the other Members in the Kildare, address the shortcomings in the services. I look forward to that.

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