Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Senator O'Hara to the Chamber and look forward to working with him. I am sure he will get great experience over the coming months. I congratulate my two colleagues from Limerick which did very well in the ministerial reshuffle, with Deputy Patrick O'Donovan being appointed to the higher education portfolio and Deputy Kieran O'Donnell, a former Member of this House, being moved to the OPW. I am delighted for both Ministers of State and also for some former colleagues in this House, specifically Deputy Colm Burke who was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Health. He was a very diligent member of this House. I wish him and all the other Ministers of State and senior Ministers who were appointed the very best.

I raise the issue of University Hospital Limerick, and not for the first time. I have asked on numerous occasions that the Minister for Health come to the House for a debate on the future of the hospital. I was delighted when the Minister came to Limerick last week and made a number of announcements. However, there is a problem with some of those announcements. There is a problem with the nursing home that was referred to. It is my understanding that it cannot now be used to provide 50 beds. We need a debate because the UHL is in the news every single day. It is not fair that the people of Limerick and the mid-west have a hospital that is not working properly. While some areas have started to change, which I welcome, and I know everybody works really hard, we have to get to the bottom of the issue to find out why issues remain and to find another 50 beds if this nursing home cannot be used. I ask the Leader to write again to the Minister for Health because it is important that we have a debate as soon as possible.