We now have the totally unacceptable and unbelievable situation where a new €37.6 million community hospital in Ballyshannon, with 52 long-stay beds, 20 short-stay beds, eight dementia-specific assessment beds and a day hospital service, has been ready to open its doors for several weeks now.

However, because of a dispute between the HSE, SIPTU and the INMO on planned staffing levels and clinical governance, which unions say would pose a risk to staff and patients, a state-of-the-art facility that could relieve some of the awful pressure on trolley numbers at SUH and LUH and, crucially, would support the healthcare needs of patients, in particular older patients, remains closed. Donegal is unique in having no dementia assessment service. This hospital would provide that.

I thank the Deputy.

I ask the Taoiseach to use his influence today to get this community hospital opened.

I thank the Deputy very much for raising this important issue. It has been raised with me by Deputies Feighan and MacSharry as well. It was expected that patients and staff at The Rock community hospital would move to the new community hospital in Ballyshannon this week. However, it emerged that following a vote taken by the nurses' union, staff refused to move to the new facility, citing concerns over staffing levels. In the interests of maintaining good employee relations, the HSE has agreed to defer the planned move and has requested further discussions on it. The Government stands ready to intervene. That would be through both sides going to the Workplace Relations Commission, which is under the auspices of the Minister, Deputy Coveney. The opening of the new community hospital in Ballyshannon is a priority and it will be fully operational at the earliest possible date.