Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome and thank the Taoiseach for acceding to my request for that meeting. I hope we can have that meeting shortly, because time is of the essence. We certainly would like to have the meeting before he goes back to his native Cork for the summer break. The committee will welcome that opportunity.

I want to get to the kernel of the issue. I accept that the Minister of State has been working hard and has had several discussions with us. What has been on offer from the Minister in the latest proposal is very welcome but it stops short of what we want. The central element of any new plan and the nub of the issue is that we want to retain a complement of long-stay community nursing home beds in Roscrea. If that was added to the additional plan, we could move forward. I appreciate the response of the Taoiseach and his willingness to intercede to see if we can find a resolution to the problem and move forward.

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