There are 84 people on trolleys in Cork University Hospital today. The INMO has described this as "dangerous levels of overcrowding", the highest ever that have occurred in the State. Many of these people are likely to be quite sick and elderly. I know the Taoiseach will mention Covid. It is a given that that has an impact, but the INMO has stated that it is not acceptable for the hospital group to continue to blame the national picture. Staff feel abandoned, that neither the HSE nor the hospital group is listening and that more records will be broken. There are fewer step-down beds in the Cork city area than there were before Covid. CUH needs urgent action. Will the Government and the HSE develop a bespoke plan for CUH?

In the first instance, we stand ready to support HSE South and the HSE more generally in respect of any plans that emanate from the region. The HSE at national level has taken an interest in what is happening in the south region in terms of structures and so on. The capacity issue also needs to be enhanced. We need proposals as well from the hospital and the hospital group in terms of initiatives that can be funded at central level and will be funded.