DÁIL UPDATE: Tipperary TD asks for status update on Mid West Hospital crisis and UHL beds

On Tuesday, Alan Kelly TD raised the issue of the Mid West hospital crisis, as well as where the Government stands on implementing the new 96 bed hospital unit in UHL and the retransfer of the Nenagh Community Nursing Home, in Dáil Éireann.

Speaking to his colleagues, he said "In a recent PQ [Parliamentary Question], the Minister for Health told me of the HIQA review on the creation of a model 3 hospital in the Mid West and that the decision would made this May. I have no comprehension as to why we need HIQA [Health Information and Quality Authority] in the first place to do this review.

"It's as clear as this nose on my face that we need another Model 3 hospital in the Mid West with an A&E. So Minister, there's a review of the NDP [National Development Plan], will we have to wait for that review or as the PQ says, will a decision be made in May? Will that be honoured because both the Taoiseach and Tánaiste said it would be honoured prior to the election. Also as a consequence, will the 96 bed block in UHL be opened in July as promised and as a knock-on consequence the Nenagh Community Nursing home be re-transferred back to the people when that is opened in July?"

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Minister Jack Chambers responded to Deputy Kelly "Thank you Deputy, I am very cognisant of the needs for increased bed capacity and obviously of the expanded service provision in the Mid West region and I will ask the Minister for Health to respond back to the specifics relating to the timelines that are there.

"I think there's consensus across this house for the need for greater investment in the Mid West region when it comes to the provision of healthcare and bed capacity. That's reflected in the programme for Government but I'll have to get the Minister for Health to respond back to you on the sequencing around that.

"Clearly in the context of the NDP we want to ensure there's a greater envelope of healthcare infrastructure in our country and Minister Carroll McNeill will be able to provide a direct response to you on the specific sequencing but I think there is a genuine approach from Government on ensuring that we respond back to the genuine needs that have been reflected in the HIQA report."