Charles Ward (Donegal, 100% Redress Party)
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5. To ask the Minister for Health the process she is currently undertaking in choosing a location for a surgical hub for the north west, as outlined in the programme for Government; the factors that will be considered in choosing the location; if this decision will be based solely on geography, population, demographics, day case numbers and staffing numbers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35141/25]

Charles Ward (Donegal, 100% Redress Party)
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It will be no surprise to the Minister what I am asking her today. The decision of where to locate the surgical hub in the north west is an important one. Therefore, transparency in the decision-making process is vital. Will she outline, in detail, what factors will be considered when choosing the surgical hub for the north west?

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy.

As part of the Government’s ambulatory care policy and in advance of the new elective hospitals, the HSE is developing surgical hubs across the regions. They will play an important role in separating scheduled and unscheduled care, reducing waiting times, thereby improving access and care for patients. The programme for Government committed to delivering six new hubs and exploring the provision of an additional surgical hub for the north west. No decision has yet been made on a location for this hub and the business case has not yet been submitted to my Department. I visited Letterkenny on 1 May to better see and understand the hospital and the supporting environs, such as the 110-bed community nursing unit across the way that is under construction and the excellent Errigal hub, which is also across the way from Letterkenny Hospital.

On 11 June, I believe I met with all Oireachtas Members for Donegal. Last week, I also met with representatives of doctors and consultants in Letterkenny, who have engaged with me very constructively and positively on this issue. It was a wide-ranging discussion, and I have committed to meet with them again soon. I am open to listening to them and to understanding the issues, which I share, regarding surgical capacity in Letterkenny in the medium and long term. I look forward to my next engagement with them to best determine the way to deliver health care for the people of the north west.

Charles Ward (Donegal, 100% Redress Party)
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I thank the Minister for outlining that. The location of the surgical hub has generated a lot of public interest. It has the potential to impact many people's lives across the north west. It is important we get it right. As I said to the Minister, this is not a Sligo versus Donegal issue. The north-west region alone is disadvantaged in many ways. We should not be forced to fight over squeezed resources. Ideally, to address the imbalance in healthcare and to meet the current demand, two surgical hubs should be established. All I can say, as someone who has worked on the ground in Donegal, is that the case for a surgical hub in Letterkenny is overwhelming. Donegal consultants and GPs who met with the Minister last week outlined this. I am asking her to take their experiences and all the data presented into account. The public needs reassurance that the decision will be data-driven and free from influence.

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Ward and I assure him, representatives from Donegal, the consultants and doctors in Letterkenny and the people of Donegal more broadly that I will do precisely that. I am committed to that region. That is why I visited it a number of weeks into becoming Minister for Health in order to understand for myself. I cannot look at it on a map or look at drawings. I have to be there to understand the dynamics and to listen to people, which is precisely why I went and have tried to engage in this way. No decision has been made yet. I ask Deputy Ward to give me a little bit more time to work out how to manage this.

I wish to update the House on the operation of the surgical hubs. I was in St. James's Hospital yesterday. To update the House, the surgical hub that has opened in Mount Carmel Community Hospital has seen 1,000 patients already. The CEO of St. James's Hospital informs me that its pain relief list is nearly clear because they are able to give pain injections. The surgical hubs are really important.

In respect of what Deputy Ward describes, I know and respect the geography of Donegal. It is important we have capacity there to deliver these different services. I ask Deputy Ward to allow me a little bit of time. I am trying to work on it.

Charles Ward (Donegal, 100% Redress Party)
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I thank the Minister for her engagement on this matter. She has been proactive and committed to ensure that all the data and experiences are being taken into account. We appreciate this. In Donegal, we are grateful the Minister is listening to us. We are fighting our corner and are willing to listen. The Minister is taking all the situations into account. We appreciate and understand that.

All the TDs in Donegal are united on this matter. We are disappointed and honestly shocked that the HSE decided no consideration be given to Letterkenny for the surgical hub, despite overwhelming data presented to it, including the geographic population, demographics, day case numbers and staffing numbers of the hospital. It is hard not to feel a bit despondent when faced with this. I truly appreciate the Minister's consideration and I look forward to engaging with her in the future on this matter.

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Ward and I hear what he is saying about his experience of the HSE. That is important. It is also important to reflect on local hospital management and their responsibility to advance cases on behalf of the hospital. When I met Deputies from Donegal, I went through the projects that had been advanced and supported. I recognised there was, in my view, insufficient surgical ask by the local hospital management. While I am not trying to deflect from the surgical hub issue in any sense, it is also important there is a real development control plan for Letterkenny University Hospital for the medium and long term in the way that has been successful in Galway and other places. I strongly urge Deputies to pressure for and demand this sort of approach for Letterkenny. However, do not allow me in any way to attempt to confuse that with the specific surgical hub issue, which is more pressing and immediate.