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

Almost all regions of the country would say they are underfunded or under-resourced when it comes to healthcare. The Deputy has made the case very strongly today for the west. I have heard Deputy Shanahan, who is sitting beside him, make the same case for the south east on many occasions and many of my colleagues have made the same case to me in respect of the mid west only a few weeks ago. Where the truth lies and where the balance of resources and funding is located is quite opaque. That is one of the reasons we need to move towards population-based funding in healthcare and that is very much part of the Government's reform programme. I have seen minor injury units work extremely well across the country. I cannot give the Deputy a commitment here that we are going to do what he says but I think they make a big difference and I have seen them work extremely well in all parts of the country, with people with minor injuries not having to go to very busy and crowded emergency departments and, more important, people with minor injuries who need to be seen and to receive healthcare getting that healthcare in an uncrowded and more humane setting within a few hours. We are happy to give consideration to a minor injury unit for Galway but I am not at liberty to make that commitment here and now. We will certainly take it seriously, however.

See this speech in context