Many of my constituents and those of the Taoiseach were devastated to hear the news that the new elective hospital in Cork will not be operational until 2028. Last September, promises were made that that hospital would be open in 2024. Hospitals in Cork are in crisis right now. Tens of thousands are on waiting lists. People wait days on trolleys. To wait another six years is not feasible. We need a hospital and we need it open now. I will give the Taoiseach one fact: last month, in September, one person waited 88 hours on a trolley in Cork. We need a hospital now and not in six years' time.

It is an elective hospital, which means that there will not be an emergency department.

But there will be operations carried out.

Yes.

So people will be going in their beds.

Just hear me out.

I was talking about the elective hospital.

I make the point that no date has been set for 2028. Because of this Government we have moved it on. There will be an announcement. It will come to Cabinet again very shortly. It has to go through various processes under the public spending code. Business cases have to be established. All that work is near completion and it will come before Cabinet in the coming weeks. Then it has to go to planning with the local authority and so on.

It was said last year that it would be open next year.

I never said that last year.

There were commitments given by this Government.

Who said that?

Taoiseach, through the Chair please.

Through the Chair, I do not think that anyone said that it would be open next year.

When will it be open?

Next year is 2023. It depends on the planning process and getting it built. We are going to do it as soon as -----

When will it be open?

I call Deputy Matt Shanahan.

If the Deputy could avoid any objections. He is a man of great influence. It depends on when we get it off the ground.