In regard to the question of supplying equipment, is the Minister in a position to give us any information about the supply of equipment to the new wing of the Mater Hospital on which £20 million has been spent and which is now lying idle through lack of equipment and staff? Is he aware that the opening of this new unit would be of enormous benefit to the hospital in its general running and would take a great deal of pressure off the health services generally in the north city? Can he give any encouraging report on the provision of equipment for that new unit?

I presume the Deputy is talking about the new Mater Private Hospital.

No.

In so far as the new Mater public unit is concerned, I am not aware that it is yet ready for commissioning.

Of course it is.

I can assure the Deputy that there has been no stinting whatsoever in putting in essential equipment to the Mater Public Hospital and in the completion of the major new public wing. We are having discussions tomorrow with the Mater Hospital authorities on their 1986 budget. I am sure the discussions will be conducted in an atmosphere of co-operation and I do not envisage any major difficulty. We had considerable difficulty in regard to the impact of the Mater Private Hospital on the VHI but that is an entirely different matter. They are buying some very expensive equipment but that is totally outside the ambit of the Department of Health.

Is the Minister aware that the Mater Hospital is an absolutely vital institution in the provision of medical attention and health services for the whole north side of Dublin? Is he aware that this new unit has been completed, that the key has been turned, that it is completely ready for commissioning and that its equipping and opening are urgently required? In the discussions tomorrow will the Minister endeavour to ensure that the necessary steps are taken to bring on stream this new unit of the public hospital at the earliest possible moment?

That is the final supplementary I will allow on this question.

I have no doubt that the new unit will be brought on stream as planned. It is a replacement unit of the public side and I have not heard of any suggestion that the hospital might have difficulty equipping that unit. As the Deputy is aware, it has been very expensive, tens of millions of pounds have gone into it——

May I put a question to the Minister?

It is unfair to permit the Deputy to put another question. He will have to be brief.