Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

My question was specifically on the Minister's engagement with the HSE regarding the plan to develop a new emergency department. Given the history of this matter, it is quite obvious that planning permission was the main thing.

I have a slightly different opinion. I believe that a brand new hospital should be built on the 150 to 180 acres of the Merlin Park Hospital site and that both facilities should be used as sister hospitals. I am no expert, however. The options appraisal did recommend a brand new hospital. The decision was to take a small part of that and to build an elective hospital at Merlin Park. I would welcome change on that. If there is a move to having a brand new hospital at Merlin Park to serve a population of over 1 million and rising, I welcome that. However, I am tired of the scripts about feasibility studies, business cases and examining things relating to a hospital that is not fit for purpose. It seems to be driven by certain elements in the medical community rather than a proper appraisal of a need for a new hospital which the options appraisal has gone some way to do. If we keep going like this, a new hospital will be built before there is a new emergency department. It makes sense to build a new hospital, not to have parallel buildings and a waste of money.

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