Dee Ryan (Fianna Fail)

I echo Senator Conway's call for the publication of that review. We in the mid-west are very eager for it to come out, to see what the recommendations are and for the Minister to take action on it. Actioning it is key. We would like to hear what provisions she is making for further capital investment in healthcare in the mid-west region in the coming budget.

In my Commencement matter I also asked if the Minister could update the House on what provisions she is making for this winter. We have seen significant long-term capital investment in the mid-west, as my colleague rightly points out, since 2020. There is the 96-bed block in UHL, which I believe will be opening next month, and a second 96-bed block under way. There is also a surgical hub at the site of the old Scoil Carmel up in Punch's Cross. There is also the completed first phase of a community nursing unit in St. Camillus Community Hospital with a second phase under way. We are, therefore, seeing significant capital investment but that is not going to get us past this winter. My question to the Minister is what immediate actions can she take to bolster the healthcare provision in accident and emergency in UHL this winter. I will tell the story of a gentleman I am aware of. This 79-year-old gentlemen had a first fall in April, spent 24 hours on a trolley in accident and emergency, contracted pneumonia and was twice in the high-dependency unit over a period of weeks. He has been back twice and on a midweek night in September of this year that gentleman spent 24 hours on a chair. It is shocking. It is shocking what the people of the mid-west are going through, so what can the Minister do for us this winter?