Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We do need reform. In the progress report on Sláintecare that will be released later today, we can see all of the work in terms of more and more primary care centres opening, GP chronic disease management improving all the time and GP access to diagnostics. Some 135,000 radiology tests were delivered in the community in 2021. There is now national coverage of community intervention teams. Approximately 18.7 million hours of home supports were delivered in 2021. That is helping more than 5,521 people who are receiving the service. That is 2.7 million hours more than in 2020. Significant progress is being made in that area by the Minister of State, Deputy Butler. Much more needs to be done. We must roll out elective care facilities. Proposals have come in for Cork, Galway and Dublin and people from the mid-west are now making submissions in that regard. They are very important as well.

I am delighted Deputy Naughten raised Roscommon hospital. Perhaps others across the country would take note, so that when we say we are going to do different types of services in hospitals it does not mean a downgrading but rather an enhancement of services.

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