The south inner city is equally chaotic.

I want to raise the issue of ward 2D in Cork University Hospital, CUH, which is the HSE's largest hospital. Ward 2D is a haematology and burns unit. It has beds, seven of which are for leukaemia patients. That is ten beds to serve the entire region of Cork, Kerry and Waterford, so capacity is the first problem. These are also some of the sickest patients in CUH. Unfortunately, ward 2D has not changed in well over 40 years. The situation is so bad that when new patients are admitted, the care team has to assess the existing patients to see which are least at risk of infection so they can be moved to other areas in the hospital. The consultants and nurses are incredible but they are working in 1970s conditions. This has to change. There is a proposal for a 60-bed cancer building, the Glandore suite, in CUH. My first ask is that this would be included in the 2024 capital programme and that construction would commence as soon as possible.

I am familiar with CUH but not ward 2D. I know some people who have been treated recently for leukaemia between CUH and St. James’s Hospital and they are very complimentary of the quality of healthcare and the competence of the staff there. I appreciate the infrastructure is very much out of date and, sadly, that is the case for many of our hospitals. In regard to the particular capital project that the Deputy mentioned, I will have to speak to the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, about it but we are keen to get as many new capital projects under construction next year as possible.