Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)

I am not responsible for the impressions which Senator Browne gets from my reply. The services provided by the staff at the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dún Laoghaire have been acknowledged nationally and internationally. As I stated in my reply, the Government plans to provide a much bigger hospital at that location. There have been many advances in technology in terms of new treatments of illnesses. Patients are often happier to be taken care of in their home environment. There is no suggestion of such people being considered bed blockers. The consensus of opinion, as technology and new methods of treatment advance, is that it would be better to treat many people in their home environment or in a place near to home. Clearly that would not be possible with all patients.