Tim Lombard (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister of State to the House to discuss this important issue. I ask that the Minister of Health provide an update regarding the new endoscopy suite at Bantry General Hospital, including a timeline for the commencement of the project. The new endoscopy unit originally launched by the former Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, has started in many ways. I will go over the timeline for the project. In January 2022, it went for tender and in February 2022, planning permission was granted. In the capital plan for 2022, it was allocated €1.8 million. In September 2022, I called to the hospital and we walked the site and saw what was happening on-site. In the capital plan announced on 29 May, a total of €1.6 million was allocated for the site and this proposal.

I acknowledge the good work regarding this unit in Bantry hospital. Bantry is a unique location right at the edge of County Cork. The hospital covers three major peninsulas, part of north County Cork and County Kerry. It is a wonderful institution that has a significant influence on healthcare in that part of the world. It is also a significant economic driver in the community. There are more than 330 whole-time equivalent staff working in the hospital, including 17 house doctors and, for the first time ever, six full-time consultants. This shows the level of investment in Bantry General Hospital over the last few years. As well as the endoscopy unit, there is a daycare centre, injury centre, rehabilitation centre, high-dependency unit and stroke unit. Much is happening in the unit.

I am disturbed by political commentary about Bantry General Hospital. It has been made a political football by some politicians, in particular in west Cork, who talk down this wonderful institution daily. I fundamentally believe they are trying to close it on the back of talking it down. I will read out some of the terminology used about Bantry General Hospital and this unit in the last few weeks. It has been published in the local newspapers. These politicians have stated there has not been sight nor sound of developments proposed for this unit. Money has been allocated and major works have taken place on-site. I hope the Minister of State can confirm this afternoon the good work on-site. If this kind of negative publicity continues regarding Bantry General Hospital, it will be undermined so much that it will effectively close for cheap political gain. It is inappropriate, not alone on a political level but for the public who depend on Bantry General Hospital. Every time this wonderful institution is talked down, the knock-on effect is that the hospital finds it harder to get people to come to Bantry to work in it. That is the reality. The hospital has done a fantastic job in having six full-time consultants, 17 house doctors and 330 whole-time equivalents working in it. There has been huge investment, with €6.1 million provided this year alone, and, I hope, another €12 million next year. That is a significant investment in the institution.The knock-on implication of the continuous bad-mouthing or talking down of the institution has to be acknowledged. I fundamentally believe this is the cheapest and lowest form of politics. It is literally working on people's fears for political gain.

I acknowledge the good work of the staff, in particular, and the management as they try to ensure the hospital goes from strength to strength. I hope the Minister of State will outline the timeline for the completion of the project and the budget set aside for this wonderful hospital.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Senator for the opportunity to address the House on this important matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly.

I acknowledge the important service Bantry General Hospital provides to a large and unique geographical area, from the peninsulas in the south west to Clonakilty and Timoleague in the east. Bantry General Hospital has received a substantial allocation of €23.7 million in 2023, an increase of 19.6% since 2019. I am pleased to advise that investment in the endoscopy unit at the hospital is included in the health capital plan of 2023. The unit has gone through the tender process, and construction commenced in January of this year. The South/Southwest Hospital Group has advised that the building stage is progressing and that there are no foreseen delays in delivering this important project. It is expected that it will be completed in June 2024.

I am delighted to confirm that waiting lists for endoscopy services at Bantry General Hospital are reducing and that more people are getting the treatment they need. The National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, has approved insourcing endoscopy initiatives for funding for Bantry General Hospital, which will facilitate treatment for 426 gastrointestinal scope procedures. The latest NTPF figures show the impact of these and other measures. There are currently 311 patients on the Bantry General Hospital gastrointestinal scopes waiting list, representing a reduction of 13%, or 48 people, by comparison with the same period last year. Indeed, the figures for 2023 look even more hopeful, with the gastrointestinal scopes waiting list having decreased by 18%, or 69 people, in the year to date. I commend the effort of Bantry General Hospital, which, due to the hard work and determination of all its staff, has achieved these results.

This Government is committed to continuing to improve access to care. On 7 March, we published 2023 Waiting List Action Plan, which is the latest stage of a new multi-annual approach to sustainably reducing and reforming hospital waiting lists. For 2023, funding totalling €443 million is being allocated to tackle waiting lists, including endoscopy waiting lists at Bantry General Hospital. This funding will reduce hospital waiting lists by 10% in 2023, as well as continue to significantly reduce waiting times in line with the Sláintecare recommendations.

The new endoscopy unit is further evidence of the Government's commitment to Bantry General Hospital, the people of west Cork and south Kerry, and the South/Southwest Hospital Group in providing the right care in the right place at the right time.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the students from Loreto Primary School, Grange Road, to Leinster House today. They and their teachers are all very welcome. I thank them for being here. They are guests of the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond. I hope they have a very good school tour in Leinster House today. They are joining us as we begin our business in the Seanad. In keeping with the tradition associated with visits to Seanad Éireann, I will let them off homework this week. I hope they have a very good visit.

Senator Tim Lombard:The Cathaoirleach is being very generous in saying there should be no homework this week. Fair play to him.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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We are near the end of the school year. As a former teacher, I believe it is important to recognise the good work of the students and give the teachers a well-earned break from correcting.

Tim Lombard (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his really comprehensive response. He has just clarified the position on the scaremongering. He said it is expected that the project will be completed in June 2024. That is a really significant statement. I acknowledge it because it is all about delivering multimillion-euro projects that will benefit rural Ireland and improve the quality of life there. The continuous barraging of Bantry General Hospital by politicians for nothing more than their own political gain has to be called out. What Deputy Michael Collins has been at over the past few weeks has to be called out as inappropriate-----

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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The Deputy is not here to defend himself.

Tim Lombard (Fine Gael)
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Indeed.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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The Senator should be careful not to name people in the House.

Tim Lombard (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Cathaoirleach. As I was saying, it needs to be acknowledged that the work is ongoing and near completion. It entails a multimillion-euro project being delivered on the ground.The project follows on from others that have happened in the past few years. We had a refurbishment of the medical assessment unit in 2015; the extension of St. Joseph's ward in 2016; the radiation suite upgrade in 2017; new labs and an administration building put in there in 2021; a CT scanner put in there in 2019 and now this project will be delivered. I list these to give an acknowledgement of the amount of work that has happened in Bantry. I thank the Minister of State for his acknowledgement of the good work and I look forward to June 2024, when this project will be finished.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I appreciate Senator Lombard raising this important issue. This Government is fully committed to investing in Ireland's healthcare infrastructure and services in line with the ambition and direction mapped out by Sláintecare. We are pleased to confirm that the construction works are progressing on the endoscopy unit at Bantry General Hospital and there is a planned date for its completion. The upgraded endoscopy suite at Bantry General Hospital, which is expected to complete construction in June 2024, is an important service that will safeguard the quality of life for many of citizens of west Cork and south Kerry. I reiterate this Government's commitment to healthcare reform. Significant reform has already been delivered, as the Senator has said, and these reform measures are making an immediate positive impact on patients' lives. The ambitious 2023 waiting list action plan sets out the next steps in the multiannual approach towards achieving our vision of a world-class public healthcare system in which everyone has timely and transparent access to high-quality scheduled care, where and when they need it, in line with Sláintecare reforms. I thank the Senator for raising this important issue.

I join the Cathaoirleach in welcoming all the students from Loreto on Grange Road. I hope they enjoy seeing democracy in action. It is a good example of such democracy from Senator Lombard in raising the important health issue; the progress of healthcare reform and the obligation on Government to deliver that in line with the expectations of citizens. I hope the students enjoy their day in the Houses of the Oireachtas.