Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I assure the Deputy that no one is proposing a part-time hospital. To answer his exact question on when we will be able to announce where the hospital will be built, with details on its configuration, the number of operating theatres, the number of patients we hope to see, the timelines and so forth, I would like nothing more than to come to the Chamber and, indeed, meet representatives from the region, to give that information. However, following the national children's hospital situation, a review of large capital investment was done. It was agreed that there would be a multi-stage approach to this project to ensure value for money and to ensure it was done right. The downside is that it takes time. While I acknowledge the Deputy's frustration, and we are all frustrated by this, a set process has to be gone through to evaluate and approve the business case. We are moving through that as quickly as it can be done.

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