Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I agree that in recent years the hospital in Dundalk has done well in dealing with discharged patients. The hospital team outlined to me that, exactly as the Deputy said, it has good relations and good connections in place. It is a clinically appropriate setting for patients to be discharged to.

Broadly, we know we need to increase community beds. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, has taken the lead on a massive increase in the number of home care packages and home care hours, with well in excess of 3.6 million hours since 2019. What Deputy Ó Murchú has identified can be looked at within the broader question of a substantial increase in the number of community beds more generally.

I might come back to him on the policy of discharge in my final response.

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