Mark Wall (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I agree this is good news for the people of Athy and south Kildare. There is always concern when mention is made concerning value for money, such as at the end of the Minister of State's response. I assure the Government and the HSE, however, that the people of Athy will stand over the value for money provided, day in and day out, by the staff and management of St. Vincent's Hospital, Athy. As the Minister of State will know, and as I said in my introduction, there is a need now, as our population gets older, to ensure we have facilities like St. Vincent's Hospital.

I welcome, therefore, that the Minister of State has given a detailed response. I also welcome that this project will go to the tender process but I ask him to go back to the Minister for Health to encourage him to ensure this project will be brought to finality in the quickest possible time. I say this because I do not think there is a person or a family in south County Kildare or its neighbouring counties who has not had a loved one who has been under the care of the staff in St. Vincent's Hospital, Athy. Additionally, as I said earlier, the people of Athy are rightly proud of the hospital. I welcome the reply from the Minister of State but I ask him to encourage the Minister to ensure this project is completed as fast as possible. I thank the Minister of State for his time.