I wish to speak on a very local issue, which is nevertheless a very important one. The Tánaiste will be aware that St. John's Hospital was instrumental in helping out with the winter health crisis we had in Limerick. That assistance should be repaid by support for its capital plan. It wants to increase the bed capacity there by 90 beds. My sense is that the University of Limerick Hospitals Group is favourable and warming towards the plan but I think it needs the support of the Government, and indeed of the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly. I would welcome if the Tánaiste could speak with the Minister, Deputy Donnelly. The tendency nationally in the past decades has been to build hospitals, and indeed schools, at the edge of urban centres. I am referring here to a city centre hospital and it ticks every box from a sustainability and good planning point of view. It really makes sense that we as a Government - and I believe all parties in the House - would support St. John's Hospital. I do not expect the Tánaiste to know the ins and outs of the particular project but I am confident that it makes sense and that it should be supported.

I am familiar with St. John's Hospital. It plays a very important role in the overall provision of services in the mid west, and especially in Limerick city. I remember many years ago visiting probably one of the first minor injury clinics there, which was an innovation that St. John's pioneered at the time and which became quite the norm afterwards in other hospitals.

I am not aware of the specific project. Subject to it being consistent with the clinical safety issues - the right type of medicine at the right time and in the right place - we have to support facilities such as this because they can take a burden off the major acute hospitals.