The programme for Government committed to targeting waiting lists in our hospitals. Unfortunately, they have not improved. They are worse than they have ever been in the history of the State. I refer to Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe in my constituency. A unit with 50 beds is shovel-ready and ready to go. At the request of management and staff, I recently visited that hospital. Despite the outstanding service of the staff, the conditions are appalling. It is a €17 million project and everything is ready. It is simply waiting for the green light from the Government.

Going back a number of years, a Government, in which the Tánaiste was a Member, blatantly closed the emergency department in Roscommon town. It was a brand new building that cost €8.5 million and it was closed, which was an outrageous decision. Portiuncula Hospital then became the emergency department for patients from Roscommon. It is important that this project gets the green light immediately. I know that the Tánaiste cannot give me a concrete answer today but he might pass on this message to the Minister for Health to give the green light without any further delay.

In respect of waiting lists, in the budget for next year we have announced €75 million in expenditure for the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, to try to reduce waiting lists and to make sure that, while people might not have the operations they need in their local hospital, they can certainly get them done somewhere. Expenditure will increased by between €20 million and €25 million, which is a welcome development. I will, however, pass on the Deputy's request directly to the Minister.