Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the €1.4 million that was announced for St. John's hospital in Limerick last Friday, when the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, visited the hospital. It means the medical assessment unit at St. John's hospital will now operate seven days a week. This is really welcome. With that comes ten extra staff in the medical assessment unit, including a consultant, two doctors, nursing staff, a porter and an administrator. It will create more than 2,000 extra medical assessment unit places per annum in the mid-west and will help to relieve the pressure at University Hospital Limerick. We had a very interesting visit with the Minister. We met staff at the hospital, the CEO and the board. There is certainly a lot more potential there at St. John's hospital. The CEO and her team spelled out the issues they would like the Minister to address. I am always giving out but this is very welcome news.

I want to be associated with the expressions of sympathy for the two boys who died on Ios. I am also thinking of Greig Oliver of Munster Rugby and Garryowen FC, my club, who was killed in a paragliding accident. His son Jack was due to play with the Ireland under-20s today.I congratulate the under-20s, who won their match today in South Africa under difficult circumstances because the death in the paragliding incident yesterday was not easy for the team. Our thoughts are with the Oliver family today and all associated with them.