Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

CHO, community healthcare organisation, area 7, in my constituency of Kildare South, has the lowest number of mental health beds per population. In 2016, a commitment was made by the Government that €5.5 million would be spent on the Lakeview unit, beside Naas hospital, which deals with mental health patients.

That building was to start in 2017 and be completed in 2019. In a reply to a parliamentary question I was told that the design team was stalled. Two weeks ago the reply to another parliamentary question advised that a new design team would be tendered for at this point.

I have a real concern that there is a delay in this building because of the overrun on the national children's hospital. I know the Taoiseach said earlier that projects would not be delayed. I am concerned that this building, which is so important to the care of people with mental health issues and the staff, would be delayed. We are now going back to ground zero once again. I want the Taoiseach to give me his reassurance that we will get this vital facility and that it will not be delayed because of the overrun on funding.

See this speech in context