Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his response. I will focus on Naas General Hospital, which in some ways is inextricably linked with Portlaoise. Many of the people on the Kildare-Laois border have a decision to make as to whether attend at Portlaoise or Naas. The hospital at Naas services all of Kildare and west Wicklow, as the Minister of State is aware, and it is under very significant demographic pressure. We have seen a major increase in our population in the past 20 years and the hospital now services over 240,000 people. Last year the hospital saw a year-on-year increase in accident and emergency department attendance of 6.4%. That is purely because of demographics and it must be said that the management is doing a remarkable job in managing this increase. It is nonetheless at capacity.

We got funding to move 1,000 patients on a waiting list for endoscopy services. They were dealt with through the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF. However, that still leaves 700 people on a waiting list for those services. We need the new endoscopy unit delivered for Naas General Hospital as soon as possible. Naas is under that type of pressure already. When we talk about the link with the services, what sets Naas apart from Portlaoise is that Naas does not have paediatric services. I have two young children and live in south Kildare. If there is an emergency situation, Portlaoise is the natural place to go. Tallaght is an awful long way to travel with a sick child. These are all causes of concern for residents of Laois and south Kildare. There is uncertainty in the ether. I want to see a very clear investment plan for the Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise to ensure that we deliver the services that are required in Laois and south Kildare and that those services are provided in a safe way in the best interests of everybody in that area.

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