Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator. He is right. As long as I have been a Deputy, I have heard about the crisis in ophthalmology in the Cork-Kerry area. It is testament to the Senator and other public representatives who have continued to advocate for the key capital infrastructure that was needed. Now that we have it, not just on one train but we have it at community level, we are able to deal with people who need surgery and that level of intervention. I believe once and for all, for the people listening in today from the Cork-Kerry area, significant investment is going in on the capital side but also in current expenditure to have the staff in place to look after patients' needs, not just older people but right across the community from young to old. The Senator's constituents and the people of Cork and Kerry will no longer have to take the bus that we hear about on a regular basis. Senator Lombard along with his elected representatives in government will have delivered infrastructure and revenue in order that the people can be supported as close to home as possible.