Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for the reply. I acknowledge her final remark that the HSE and Department will continue to work with UL Hospitals Group. I want to make the case strongly for St. John's and believe I have done so, notwithstanding that the capital submission has not been progressed.

The thinking around development in this country has completely changed. It is not acceptable that the St. John's project is not being actively considered at this time.

I believe this is a misalignment with the national planning framework. I will speak about it again to the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly. I acknowledge absolutely the substantial efforts that have been made to address the challenges in health in the mid-west region. I acknowledge the efforts of the University Hospitals Limerick Group, and to point out and agree that we are in a very unprecedented situation given the viruses that have gripped the world at this time. There is, however, a whole lot we can do. When we are thinking about healthcare we must think about the medium and long term. It is in that context I bring this matter this evening. We need to think to 2030, 2035, and 2040. I ask that the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, would say to the senior minister in the Department, the Minister Deputy Donnelly, that St. John's Hospital makes absolute sense in the context of the provision of healthcare in the mid-west region. It will not be acceptable to the people of Limerick or to the people of the mid-west region that Cork and Galway are the cities they must travel to. It is not acceptable that we are planning infrastructure on the rationale of these hospitals being within a 90 minute drive. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, coming from Waterford, will sympathise with this sentiment. I will engage further with the Minister and with the Minister of State, Deputy Butler. I hope that in time we will develop an excellent care facility at St. John's.

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