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

If there is one thing nobody would mistake Deputy Mattie McGrath for, it is a little person; he can be sure of that. We all recognise his stature.

On the questions raised, I am advised by the Minister and the Minister of State that there are currently no residents or patients in the hospital. They are all being catered for elsewhere in higher-quality, more modern accommodation. The staff have been redeployed and there have been no job losses. Following some minor works, seven whole-time equivalent staff members will initially be based at St. Brigid's, including a CHN network manager, an assistant director of public health nursing, a clinical nurse specialist in diabetes, a senior dietician, a staff dietician and two administrative staff. A podiatrist will also be providing in-reach services at St. Brigid's hospital. While it is regrettable that it is no longer feasible or sustainable to continue to operate St. Brigid's as a district hospital in the way it operated in the past, as part of the modernisation of our healthcare service, this building will be repurposed to provide chronic disease management and better diabetes care for many more people than are currently receiving it in south Tipperary and the south east more generally. Overall, this will represent an improvement in healthcare services in the area.

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