Today I received correspondence from the HSE which indicates that on 18 September and again on 16 October the executive wrote to SouthDoc and instructed it to reopen its facility in Blackpool in Cork. The HSE warned that it did not accept the closure of this facility because it increased the risk of unnecessary presentations being made to acute hospitals. If the facility at Blackpool is not reopened by 31 December, SouthDoc will be in breach of its service level agreement. SouthDoc receives more than €7 million from the HSE under that agreement. I have asked about this for the last three weeks on the trot and have been raising the issue since March. We now need an intervention because there is no SouthDoc service on the north side of Cork city. SouthDoc is getting €7 million for not providing a service.

I wish to speak on the same issue. Last week in the Dáil, the Minister for Health told me that the HSE had asked SouthDoc for a timeline for reopening. He said he would report back to the Dáil this week on that timeline. Has the Taoiseach spoken to him about this matter and is he in a position to enlighten us in that regard?

Last Friday I received a letter from the HSE stating that there is a plan in place to reinstate the ShannonDoc service in Shannon. The people in the area have been crying out for this service to be reinstated.

Obviously there are issues with SouthDoc in Blackpool but this is only Wednesday and tomorrow is Thursday; the week is not over. I will endeavour to have that timeline for the Deputies before the week is out.