Jimmy Harte (Labour)

We could confiscate his passport in the meantime.

The accident and emergency unit in Letterkenny General Hospital was due to open in June 2012. However, following McNamara Construction going into receivership, the project has been put back by up to a year. I know that the Minister of State, Deputy Shortall, has made a statement on it, but I ask the Leader to bring it to the attention of the Minister. According to radio reports in recent days, the two most dangerous times of the year to get sick are in January and July because of the changeover of junior doctors. The accident and emergency unit in Letterkenny like other accident and emergency facilities throughout the country will be under severe pressure in the summertime. I ask the Leader to talk to the Minister for Health and also the Minister of State, Deputy Shortall, to expedite the project. I understand the legal position with the receivership is complicated. However, such complications should not get in the way of people's treatment. It should be brought to a conclusion very quickly because the money is there to do it and the receiver obviously has a job to do. Given that we have been waiting for years for a new accident and emergency unit in Letterkenny, I ask that we get clarity on the issue. It should be possible to ask the receiver directly to get the work finished in the interest of the people in County Donegal.