The HIQA report on St. Brigid's Hospital in Carrick-on-Suir was very good. The Government decided to use it as a Covid step-down facility during the early months of the pandemic. It is in the back yard of the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, who is present. The Save St. Brigid's Hospital committee is coming to Dublin tomorrow to present to the Committee on Public Petitions. It is the final effort in trying to get the hospital reopened.

We saw how badly needed step-down facilities and beds were in the recent crisis at Christmas, which is ongoing in January. St. Brigid's is a functioning hospital with an excellent staff and a good report from HIQA. The report has been twisted and turned to suit the narrative. Hospitals should not be closed. Will the Government reopen St. Brigid's without further ado to ensure that the patients of east Waterford, south Tipperary and south Kilkenny will have a place to go for respite and, above all, access to the hospice cancer care beds?

I have spoken with the Deputy across the floor of the Dáil many times about the closure of St. Brigid's Hospital in 2020. As he is aware, the building is more than 200 years old and the HIQA report deemed it was no longer fit for purpose. Issues were raised relating to health and safety, especially in terms of fire.

That is not true.

As the Deputy also knows, St. Brigid's Hospital in Carrick-on-Suir has now been reconfigured as a community healthcare network. There are seven new jobs involved. The hospital offers support to people with long-term illness, pain management and diabetes. The facility is working well, and it is still offering healthcare to the people of Carrick-on-Suir and the surrounding areas.