I thank the Taoiseach for his attendance at a recent meeting concerning University Hospital Limerick. It was much appreciated. Arising from the proceedings of that meeting, will the Taoiseach provide an approximate timescale within which the 303 beds which have been deemed necessary to stabilise the hospital will be in use? When will the elective hub committed to by the Government become operational? Has a building been secured to house that facility or has one been identified? What is the up-to-date situation on a section 38 application by UPMC to build a hospital on the north side of Limerick city with elective capabilities, which will considerably reduce the pressure on the main hospital?

It was a very useful meeting and I was glad to be able to attend for at least an hour of it. I hope to visit the hospital soon. I do not have the exact answers to all the Deputy’s questions. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, to come back to him directly but I understand the 96-bed block is under construction and might be open sometime next year. I will double-check that. We accept another bed block is required and will try to progress that. There is no date for the surgical hub yet, unfortunately. We need to look at different options for that but it could help a lot with elective waiting lists.

I understand construction is to begin on the new Bon Secours hospital in Limerick quite soon and I encourage the UL Hospitals Group to begin early discussions with them. We know how effectively Waterford hospital uses the Whitfield and it makes sense for Limerick hospitals to get in early to see if they can make use of the new private hospital when it is built and engage with UPMC on their ideas.