I asked the Taoiseach about the funding difficulties of co-located hospitals because the problems associated with the shortage of beds in our hospitals are increasing once more. The Taoiseach may not be aware of it, but the trolleys and the corridors are full of people who cannot get hospital beds.

Yes.

The Government has proposed to provide additional beds in our hospitals. Everybody acknowledges that they are required. I admit there is some difference of opinion on the number of beds. Everybody knows that additional beds are required in our hospitals. The Government proposed to get private companies to develop private hospitals on the grounds of public hospitals. It believed that such a scheme would provide the additional beds which are needed. The Minister of State, Deputy McGuinness, said on Sunday night that the scheme has run into a funding problem — that it is blocked, in effect. We know it has not gone ahead for the last three years. Can the Taoiseach tell us whether it is going ahead? How many hospitals are to be built? Have agreements been signed in respect of many of them? What is the funding difficulty? If the scheme is not going ahead, by what alternative means does the Government intend to provide the beds that are required in our hospitals? How does it intend to ensure that unfortunate patients can get hospital beds rather than being stuck on a trolley in a corridor, with all the indignity that involves?

Hear, hear.

Significant progress has been made with this initiative. The board of the HSE has approved preferred bidder status for the development of co-located hospitals at Beaumont Hospital, Cork University Hospital, Limerick Regional Hospital, St. James's Hospital, Waterford Regional Hospital and Sligo General Hospital. Project agreements in respect of the developments at Beaumont Hospital, Cork University Hospital and Limerick Regional Hospital were signed in March of this year.

That is three projects.

The necessary preparatory work for project agreements in respect of the developments at St. James's Hospital, Waterford Regional Hospital and Sligo General Hospital is proceeding. Planning permission has been sought for the Beaumont Hospital project. I understand that it was granted this morning.

The Taoiseach had better tell the Minister of State, Deputy McGuinness.

Planning permission has also been granted by the relevant local authorities in respect of the projects at Cork University Hospital and Limerick Regional Hospital. However, appeals have been submitted to An Bord Pleanála in each case.

Were they submitted by the Minister, Deputy Martin?

The HSE has indicated that it anticipates that the overall construction and commissioning period will be between 26 and 30 months in each case. The procurement process is at an earlier stage in the cases of Connolly Hospital and Tallaght Hospital, which are also participating in the co-location initiative. A tender has been received in respect of Connolly Hospital and is under consideration. Work is being undertaken to finalise the invitation to tender for Tallaght Hospital. The provisions of the project agreements under which bidders entered bids are based on the principle that the State and the HSE should work together to ensure that these projects get up and running. The HSE is involved in ongoing discussions on implementation matters. It is supported by a steering group that comprises legal and financial experts and representatives of the Department of Health and Children. The HSE is working with the developers at each site to facilitate the advancing of the financing of the projects in the context of Government policy on co-location and the provisions of the project agreements between the parties. In all projects of this scale, discussions take place in line with the normal analysis banks make of all risks before they finalise loan conditions. As the Deputy indicated, co-location is consistent with the 2001 health strategy, which stated that the "Government is committed to exploring fully the scope for the private sector to provide additional capacity".

This is a filibuster.

In the period to 2011, extra beds will be provided by a combination of public and private providers. A strategic partnership will be developed with the private hospital sector to provide more treatment facilities for public patients. That is precisely the situation regarding——

That is not precise at all.

That is precise. That is precisely where it is.

The Taoiseach did not answer the question.

The Deputy was suggesting that nothing is happening.

The Taoiseach can do better than that.

I have outlined factually what the situation is.

Where are the beds?

He should answer the questions instead of playing for time.

He asked me to outline the issues. I have brought him up to date on where the issues are.

The Taoiseach was befuddling the House with his script.

I have given the facts of the situation.

It was a very poor response.

The Deputy was trying to suggest that nothing is going on.

The Government is not prepared to help 12 year old girls.

It was a filibuster.