Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the Deputy. The only slight caveat I will offer - I know he will agree with me on this - is that there is additional capacity in some of our smaller public hospitals as well, including in the Deputy's own constituency. He has spoken to me about this. I refer to Cavan hospital and particularly Monaghan hospital. We should be and indeed we are asking the NTPF and the HSE to identify more that can be done there. I do not want to see any funding leave our State, nor ideally do I want to see any money leave the public health service and go into the private health service if that can be avoided.

My note tells me the HSE is processing applications for reimbursement received in September, but I am open to correction on that. As for ensuring fairness of approach, the cross-border office must process all applications received in chronological order. In short, I reassure the Deputy's constituents that we will fix this through additional staff and the additional office accommodation those staff will require. The recruitment of additional staff is imminent. The locating of additional accommodation, I understand, is well under way. There will be significant extra resourcing of this office in the HSE service plan for 2020 and we will continue to support the office in doing its good work.

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