Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There are two sides to the coin here. When one is in government, sometimes difficult decisions have to be made for the greater good. This was not a decision that was arrived at lightly. We have two situations. On the one hand, the Government has committed to improving access to acute services across the mid-west region. This includes significant and sustained investment in a range of measures to increase capacity at University Hospital Limerick and reduce unnecessary admissions. On many occasions over the last four years, the Deputy has lambasted the Government about the situation in Limerick, and rightly so, because too many people are waiting on trolleys in Limerick and a solution has to be found. On the other hand, we have the long-term continuum of care. I do not think you will get any better advocate for older persons than myself. I am standing up here this evening. I deliberately stayed to answer this question.

I am very conscious of the importance of strengthening the capacity and resilience of our public health system through the delivery of health and social care infrastructure. This investment includes the community nursing unit programme, which was launched in 2016 to ensure that up to 90 of our public community nursing units, CNUs, and community hospitals would be refurbished or replaced to ensure the best quality environments for our older people. A significant investment of €20.2 million has been allocated to the new CNU, in Nenagh under the CNU programme. Older person's services in the north Tipperary area will be enhanced by the opening of a new state-of-the-art 50-bed CNU in Nenagh, replacing the St. Conlon's CNU. It will have a complement of 50 beds providing long-stay care, respite care and palliative care services. The CNU will provide a high-quality living environment in line with all regulatory requirements.

I have to correct the Deputy on one point. St. Conlon's as it currently stands is registered with HIQA. The Deputy gave the impression that it is not. It is currently registered with HIQA for the current 20 residents who are there.

In order to alleviate the significant pressures at UHL, a decision has been made to utilise the new Nenagh CNU building on an interim basis as a stepdown sub-acute and rehabilitation facility for UHL. It will be run by a private provider with expertise in such services. A procurement process is under way. A new 96-bed unit is being built in Limerick at the moment, which will mean 70 new, additional beds. While that is being built, in the short term a decision has been made to use the new CNU, which is currently lying empty because it would take 100 staff to staff it. There are only 31 staff in St. Conlon's who can move with it. In the short term, while that premises is empty a decision has been made to utilise it to support 50 beds in order to support the emergency department in Limerick. I have been given a guarantee that 12 months after the contract commences with the private provider, this will be reviewed. As soon as the new 96-bed unit in Limerick opens its doors, the new facility in Nenagh will revert back to the CNU. Recruitment will commence this year to provide the additional staff for the new 50-bed facility, which has en suite rooms. It will need 100 staff members for safe staffing. There are currently 31 staff in St. Conlon's so even if they moved, they would not be able to facilitate the full unit at the moment. This is a short-term measure for the greater good. The Deputy spoke about older people in the area. Many of those older people who could potentially be on a trolley in Limerick will now be diverted to the CNU in Nenagh. They will be able to get the nursing care they need and avoid the emergency department.

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