As the Taoiseach is aware, there has been a 40% increase in the population of the country. There has been a huge population increase in the Cork area in particular. The Government decided there would be a new elective hospital built in Cork. My understanding was that a design team was appointed 12 months ago. When the Secretary General of the Department of Health was before the health committee the week before last, he advised the design team for designing the hospital still has not been appointed. He said while a preliminary team was put in place, the new team has not been put in place. When is a team going to be put in place? When is the design of the project going to start? When are we likely to have a planning application lodged for the building of a new elective hospital in Cork? We need it to deal with day care procedures and provide access to theatres, which many consultants cannot get at the present time.

I thank Deputy Burke for raising the Cork elective hospital again. It is an issue he has been campaigning on for quite some time. The Government has identified St. Stephen's Hospital as the preferred site for the new elective hospital for Cork. It is now in planning phase and developing detailed project briefs, a procurement strategy and pre-tender business case for all the elective hospitals. I am advised the appointment of an integrated design team is under way at present and will be in place in early 2024.