Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Yes. That is the first thing.

The second aspect is the planning. We will proceed to planning in early 2019. While we are discussing the emergency department and planning I want to let the Senator know that the cystic fibrosis unit will go to planning later this month. As I said earlier, the site selection for the emergency department is due in a few days.

On the issue of the €40 million, that figure came from a Department of Health briefing with the HSE in January 2018. I was looking at different particular options. I am the person who put this into the programme for Government.The Government is committed to planning, designing and building a new emergency department at Beaumont Hospital. This commitment is in the programme for partnership Government and the NDP. The timeframe for completion of the emergency department will be informed by the work of the project team. This work will be undertaken in conjunction with Beaumont Hospital and the HSE. The campus site selection report is due in the coming days and the project will proceed to planning in early 2019.

Beaumont Hospital is one of Ireland's foremost medical institutions. It has the reputation of delivery of high quality, innovative and safe care to the people in north Dublin and nationally. This has been achieved through the commitment, hard work and professionalism of all the staff. I thank all those working there for their great work and assure them we will support the hospital in developing its infrastructure and services. We intend to move as quickly as possible. I hope to have a ministerial meeting with the officials of the Department of Health and the HSE over the next week or two to further push this agenda. I will contact the Senator with the further details.