Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have confidence in the Minister for Health for many reasons. He is getting things done, including a successful referendum on the eighth amendment, the Public Health (Alcohol) Act and, after years of little investment, three national hospital projects under construction with a fourth due to go to tender in the foreseeable future. Free GP care has been extended to all carers and medical cards have been provided to all children with a severe disability, regardless of their parents' incomes. The HPV vaccine for boys and improved patient outcomes in cancer, stroke, heart attack and cystic fibrosis are other developments. Even in the toughest areas, such as the number of patients on trolleys, the Minister has made measurable progress. While there are still far too many, the number is at its lowest in three years in 2019 thus far. In January, the number of patients waiting more than three months for an operation or procedure - the Sláintecare target - was at a four-year low. While we have lost some ground due to the recent strikes, we will regain it. The Minister has handled difficult and emotive issues, such CervicalCheck or securing funding for cystic fibrosis treatments like Orkambi, with the utmost sensitivity. He invests enormous time and energy into gaining the confidence of patient representatives and, if supported, there is much more he can do in his post.

I also have confidence in the national children's hospital project. Major errors were made in calculating the true cost of building a hospital of this scale and complexity and, as Head of Government, I take collective and personal responsibility for that. However, I do not accept that it is wasteful expenditure. It is a project which is well under way. The first phase involving the satellite centre in Blanchardstown will open to patients this year while the satellite centre in Tallaght will begin construction this year and open in 2020. At the St. James's site in Dublin 8, stage 1 is almost complete and stage 2 has commenced. After decades of promises and false starts, the children's hospital is finally being delivered. Of course, we will do all we can to ensure the project gets back on track and is delivered on time and in line with the revised budget. We will work to ensure the hospital is commissioned no later than 2023.

I also have confidence in Project Ireland 2040. One year after its launch, many projects are coming in on time and on budget. Shovels are in the ground and the work is being done. All over the country, one sees the vision of Project Ireland 2040 being realised. Last week, we turned the sod on the new runway at Dublin Airport, which is our gateway to the world. The runway was promised for decades but it is now under construction.

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