Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

I understand, but the facts of the case are that 777 people are employed in Mullingar hospital, and I played a major part in obtaining the €21 million for the new hospital building. In 2006 there were 2,000 births at the hospital. This number has now increased to 3,000. It is a two-county hospital serving Longford and Westmeath. Anyone who thinks Mullingar hospital will not continue to increase its services is mistaken. I hope we will see a year in which there are 5,000 births in the hospital. As Senator McFadden correctly stated, 92,000 patients were attended to in that hospital last year. The Minister is coming to the hospital on 21 June and we will have an opportunity then for clarification. The Minister said in Seanad Éireann, not once but twice, that she would reward the hospitals——