Brian Stanley (Laois, Independent)

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. There are 58 beds there at the moment. The important thing when the new wing is opened, which I welcome as it is a €31 million investment we have been long waiting for, is that we increase that bed capacity of 58 beds. The reality is that 25 of the existing beds are in a ward that was refurbished in recent years at huge expense. There are double-glazed windows and completely refitted en suite rooms. It would be outrageous were those 25 beds to be taken out of use. There is capacity here to get the hospital up to 83 beds. There are brilliant staff there. It is a very well run facility. As I said, they are totally refurbished rooms. A total of 25 beds could continue. There is a shortage of nursing home beds in the county. The Minister of State knows the situation he dealt with personally with regard to the residence. I thank him for his work on that and on the private ones. We have lost Ballard Lodge, a private nursing which closed down and which was a good facility. We need extra capacity in the county. I plead with the Ministers of State and the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, to do everything they can to try to ensure that they increase the capacity to 83.

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