Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will reply quickly to Senator Byrne. I will raise the capital funding and the mid-term review with the Minister. I will repeat the Senator's point that the 90 replacement beds should be put into service over a certain amount of time.

I will add to what the Senator said in the beginning. This Government has given the largest ever budget for health care. There are people still waiting on trolleys, but not the significant numbers there were before Christmas. It has caused considerable concern for families when loved ones are left in accident and emergency departments on trolleys for longer than required. I will raise these issues with the Minister and I assure the Senator that he will do anything in his power, providing the budget is available, to make sure replacement hospital beds are in place as soon as possible.