I call the leader of the Rural Alliance, Deputy Mattie McGrath.

That is an unexpected promotion.

It is. Any day one gets it, one takes it. The programme for Government includes specific commitments in the health area, and Deputy Grealish has raised some matters regarding Galway. My question is about South Tipperary General Hospital. A total of 41 people are on trolleys there today, which is the highest number in the country. It is a small hospital compared to Cork University Hospital, CUH, or Beaumont Hospital, so this is totally intolerable. Despite the money announced for the winter initiative nothing has happened to help the hospital.

In spite of my colleague, Deputy Lowry, planning to helicopter in motel-type accommodation here, which is pie in the sky and which the Minister must have told him about or somebody else must have dreamt it, nothing has happened. There is a chronic situation in that hospital. If the Taoiseach and the Minister for Health are not going to open Cashel hospital, will they sell it and get a private operator to take it over and ask it to run it?

Is there proposed legislation for this?

Of course there is. It relates to chapter 6 of the programme for Government with respect to health initiatives. There is a chronic situation in Clonmel hospital. To have 41 people on trolleys in a hospital that size is outrageous.

I thank the Deputy for his brevity.

I am not sure Deputy Mattie McGrath is actually proposing that move or that he is telling the people down there that the hospital should be taken over by a private enterprise.

I am. If the Taoiseach is not going to open-----

Allow the Taoiseach to respond without interruption.

I will have the Minister for Health respond to Deputy McGrath on what is a valid question.