Deputy Aird might give me some time now.

I was recently given a tour of the new 96-bed block that is under construction at University Hospital Limerick, UHL. It will be completed by the end of May, and by September for patient occupation. It is modern, and will help hugely in terms of public healthcare. As we reached the top floor, the builders pointed out that is where the new 96-bed block will go, and further back in the carpark they aim to build another 96-bed block. I made the point to the builders and HSE management that they should just keep going up and up,but they were told and advised that the current planning regulations mean they can only build a 96-bed block at a time. Anything exceeding that has to go through the strategic infrastructure development route and An Bord Pleanála, therefore making it longer and more arduous. A planning fix here could allow for these new 96-bed blocks to go a few storeys higher and accommodate more wards and beds. It is a technical issue, and is something the Minister for housing will hopefully have to fix, but that planning fix could be transformative. It would mean not having to dig new foundations or build new towers. We could build up on a building that is fully load-bearing. It can go higher, and we can provide more beds.

I will have to examine that. Presumably, they could have applied for more at the time if that is what they wanted to build.

It would have pushed them to An Bord Pleanála.

Yes.

Anything will push you to An Bord Pleanála. That facility was created to enable them to get a faster permission and to go directly to An Bord Pleanála. I will check the background to this, but my understanding is 96-beds is what was sanctioned from an earlier bed review. I will check it out, because we want to provide beds as quickly as we possibly can in UHL. Obviously, it has to be done legally but I will examine what the Deputy has said.