For more than ten years, Fine Gael has been looking to shut the accident and emergency department in Our Lady's Hospital in Navan. For ten years, the people of Meath have been marching in their tens of thousands to keep it open. Shockingly, in March 2020, the Government went public with the decision to close the accident and emergency department for 12 hours overnight. Covid-19 happened and those plans, thankfully, fell apart.

For the past 18 months, the health service has been battling against Covid without enough staff or beds and, critically, without enough ICU beds. I have learned this week that the board of the HSE has decided to close the accident and emergency department in Navan for overnight periods. I learned this morning that the ICU in Navan is closed today. This is an outrageous situation. The Government should have learned something as regards the number of people who have suffered due to Covid over the past year and a half. Most people caught Covid either in hospitals or nursing home settings and, given that, it is incredible that the Government is looking to cut the capacity in Navan hospital. The Tánaiste worked in the hospital. Will he guarantee that Fine Gael will keep the hospital accident and emergency department open 24-7?

I am not aware of any such decision by the HSE board, but the Deputy may well be correct. My strong view has always been that if the emergency department in a hospital is going to be closed or have its hours reduced, then there is a need to be absolutely sure there is sufficient capacity in other hospitals in the region and that the ambulance service is able to deal with the situation.

As I have said, I am not aware of that decision by the board of the HSE, if such a decision has been made. I have just mentioned it to the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly. He is going to check up on it and come back to the Deputy with a further reply.