Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am raising this matter because of the lack of clarity I received in reply to a parliamentary question about a 60-bed unit that was supposed to be built in St. Patrick’s Hospital, Cashel. We were told the money for the project was ring-fenced years ago. The response I received to that parliamentary question moved to discuss a 50-bed unit. I received an amended reply today that has returned to discussion of a 60-bed unit. I want to know what commitment has been given. Is the 60-bed unit going ahead? I need clarity on that point and perhaps the Minister of State could offer that clarity.

My second issue relates to a reference in the reply that stated this project went to the design stage in 2019. I understand there was a pandemic and I can see how that caused some delay. However, we are now four years down the road. It should not take four years to design a 60-bed unit, even with that delay. The reply also referred to an overview of the situation or a review of options.

Anybody will tell you that any review of options should be done before any design is put together. We worry whether something underhand is going on here because, all of a shot, we are being told about plans being reviewed when they were supposed to be at design stage in 2019. The reply goes on to outline the development of facilities for the children's disability network team, CDNT, but there is no indication elsewhere in the response that the design of the unit has resumed. Will the Minister of State fill us in on that? Has it resumed and at what stage is it? Will she clarify the timeframe for the delivery of the project? Will she explain what precisely the intention behind this statement is? Is it a warning that a U-turn could be in the offing? The purpose of parliamentary questions is to acquire information for the benefit of the public. We are being asked to find out what is the situation in my own town of Cashel. I will be fair; the former councillor in Cashel, Tom Wood, has been talking about this for a long time. He is on the ground every day but neither we nor he are getting any answers. We need clarity on this.

In the reply we got back, there was suddenly mention of a 60-bed unit at St. Anthony's in Clonmel, 18 miles away. We appreciate every bed that comes into County Tipperary but my parliamentary question was not about St. Anthony's in Clonmel but about a 60-bed hospital in Cashel. We were told the money had been ring-fenced for it but now all these doubts are popping up. To be fair, the HSE's record of provision in Tipperary has been very poor. A lot of things have been pulled by stealth. The worry is that this is another attempt to do a U-turn and get out of building this 60-bed unit. There is talk of reducing the 60 beds to 50 and of reviewing the options. We are asking the Minister of State to clear up the situation.

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