I wish to raise a local nursing home in Tipperary, the Dean Maxwell Community Nursing Home in Roscrea. There was a meeting yesterday between a number of Deputies, the HSE, the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, and the Minister of State with responsibility for older people. This is a very passionate issue. There is a state-of-the-art public nursing home in Thurles and a new one is being tendered in Nenagh, but we must also provide one in Roscrea. This is the most important issue for the people of Roscrea at present because many of their loved ones have been in that nursing home. It is due to lose its long-stay beds because of a Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, report which will deal with a number of nursing homes in the forthcoming year and a half. If a proposal is put forward in the national development plan, which is being reviewed, to fund a new public nursing home either on the current site or on another site, will the Taoiseach consider it?

Thank you, Deputy. Your time is up.

The Deputies are working together and we are working very closely with the mayor of the county, Councillor Michael Smith, a local man, whom the Taoiseach knows quite well. It would be a shot in the arm if the Taoiseach could confirm that this will be considered as part of the process, because it is a deeply worrying issue for the local people.

I am aware of the seriousness of this matter. Deputies Cahill and Lowry have consistently raised it with me, as has the mayor, Councillor Smith. I have been in contact with the Health Service Executive on the matter and I will speak again to the Minister for Health. I have spoken to him previously about this and I intend to engage further now. Given yesterday's meeting and its potential outcomes, I intend to talk again to the Minister for Health and the HSE. I will refer back to the Deputy in that regard.