When visiting Letterkenny University Hospital last week, the Minister’s colleague, the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, said the location of the new surgical hub has not been decided yet. Donegal is in desperate need of a surgical hub. Patients across the county are forced to travel very long distances to access essential and life-saving care. Letterkenny University Hospital is severely underfunded and has insufficient resources to address the healthcare needs of the people of the north west. There is currently a surgical team of just five where eight to ten are required to meet the current demand. To address this imbalance in healthcare in this country and meet the current demand, two surgical hubs should be established in the north west. I asked the Minister not to leave Donegal behind once again. Will the Government establish a surgical hub in Donegal?

The Government commits to opening surgical hubs and assessing the business case for a surgical hub in the north west. The HSE is developing that and I have yet to receive it. The factors the HSE will take into account include the population distribution. I had a very good visit to Letterkenny hospital last week and note its funding has increased by over 54% in recent years. The staff number has increased by a quarter and there has been a very significant investment, but it is also true that the surgeons in the hospital need more surgical capacity and, in particular, more beds to ensure they have scheduled surgical access. I am very well aware of that.