Page 45 of the programme for Government commits to ensuring capacity, particularly bed and critical care capacity.

In the context of the major hospital in my constituency of Limerick, namely, University Hospital Limerick, UHL, this commitment seems not to have been implemented. We always have the highest number of people on trolleys. Some 82 people were on trolleys in the hospital yesterday and, unfortunately, 83 people are on trolleys this morning. This is scandalous. People are not statistics. They need to be treated properly. The staff are under huge pressure and have been working really hard. On Friday, UHL management advised mid-west Oireachtas Members that the new 96-bed unit is not expected to be ready before July 2023 at the earliest. When is the Taoiseach going to intervene in respect of this matter? He must be aware at this stage of the capacity and staffing issues at UHL, but there seems to be no action from him. What is his plan to alleviate capacity pressures at UHL in the here and now? What can he do to expedite the construction of the badly needed new 96-bed unit?

Again, substantial resources have been provided by the HSE, in the context of the winter plan in particular, to facilitate the development of a number of initiatives to clear and have a better flow through hospitals, including UHL. That also includes GP liaison nurses to manage direct referrals from GPs to emergency departments, geriatric community support, enhancement and expansion of frailty intervention therapy team models and so forth. By the end of the year we will have close to 950 additional beds in the system and anything that can be accelerated will be accelerated. There are working groups and one has to go through procurement processes and all the various-----

They have not even gotten a commitment.

-----aspects in respect of capacity.