The unacceptable situation at University Hospital Limerick continues unabated, with unacceptable delays, excessive use of trolleys and so on. The situation is now being compounded by the fact that ICU nurses are on a work-to-rule because of the conditions under which they have to work. At the beginning of this year the Minister for Health committed to providing a surgical hub in the Limerick region to alleviate the situation. What progress has been made on this? We are six months down the road now.

Has a location been identified? Has it been kitted out? In short, when can we expect this facility to open? The present situation cannot be allowed to continue indefinitely.

I thank the Deputy for his question. He continues to raise the challenges they have in University Hospital Limerick with overcrowding. On the surgical hubs, five were announced at the very same time, including one for University Hospital Waterford. There is a total of €100 million for five surgical hubs, which will have a huge impact when they are up and running. My understanding is that the majority of these will be modular build but I will get a detailed response from the office of the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, and pass it on to the Deputy.