Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am disappointed that the Senator finds little comfort in this reply because what we have here is a very clear determination from the Department and the hospital group to work to find those new facilities that the Senator rightly says are desperately needed for the people of Kildare and the wider midlands region. I disagree. Fundamentally, the clinic is staffed by brilliant people in Celbridge and Newbridge who are doing excellent work, although, of course, more can and will be done.

It is important to put on the record the context when this decision was made in April 2020. The Senator will remember, as we were fresh Members to our respective Houses of the Oireachtas, the chaos surrounding the country, particularly our health service, at the time. Tough decisions were made.I fundamentally agree with the overall campaign of which the Senator speaks. I agree with his efforts and I will, most importantly, bring his concerns to the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, and the relevant figures in the Department and the HSE. I agree that we need that accommodation in Kildare as soon as possible.