I recently sent the Taoiseach a parliamentary question which he declined to answer. The question was to him and was about the decision-making process behind the recent announcement of a 200-bed hospital unit in Raheen, Limerick, which is option B, part of the HIQA recommendations. People in Clare are asking, when were the Taoiseach and the Cabinet made aware of this? It seems some of his own TDs and Senators in the local area were not aware of this announcement being made. People in Clare were told to stop suggesting sites by one of his Government Ministers. Did this mean it was a done deal? How did the procurement process come about? Did the Government approach the landowner or vice versa? This plan will not solve the problem in Clare that the Government caused in 2009. People in Clare are asking, was this a Fine Gael announcement or a Government announcement? If you look at this announcement on "Reeling in the Years" down the line, you will see it is all Fine Gael elected reps at this. Does the Taoiseach believe that this will solve the issues for those in Clare, particularly those out west and in north Clare, well outside the golden hour?

First, I did not decline to answer any question, and it is wrong of the Deputy to suggest that I did. She knows full well that questions about hospital sites go to the Minister for Health.

But I was asking the Taoiseach, not-----

Deputy, there is no interaction.

I am sorry, no, I am not responsible for every individual Minister's decision-making. It is a well-known practice in the Dáil and the Oireachtas that questions go to the Minister who is accountable to the House in respect of the matter. Of course, I was aware of the decision, and the Minister would have informed me very early on, along with the Tánaiste, the Minister of State, Seán Canney, and other Ministers as to what, overall, is a positive decision, given the congestion in UHL. Now there is a pathway forward in terms of health facilities in Limerick and in the mid-west, to be complemented by further services for Ennis and Nenagh. It is a positive development overall. The Deputy is obviously against it but-----

I am not against it. It is positive for Limerick but-----

Thank you, Taoiseach. The next speaker is Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett. Your time is up, Taoiseach.

Yes, but it is positive overall for healthcare, I would have thought.