I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. I am seeking an update on two matters relating to the Dublin drug treatment court. The Minister of State will be aware that a review of the Dublin drug treatment court pilot has recently been completed. I understand that the report and evaluation in this regard were sent to the Minister. When will the evaluation be published and made available to the public? In the aftermath of publication, what are the Department's plans to make the Dublin drug treatment court permanent and to expand the model nationwide? I anticipate that it will be expanded regionally in the first instance.

For those who are not aware of what the Dublin drug treatment court is, it is a court-supervised treatment programme for people whose offending is driven by drug addiction. It is a way of leading us from a judicial response to drug addiction to a more health-led response. It has the potential to break the cycle of addiction and crime. Instead of being sent to prison, offenders are placed on a structured and closely monitored recovery programme. This has been operating as a pilot programme since 2001. It works for participants who are over 17 years of age and who have committed an offence. Let us say a person shoplifts. That is a non-violent offence. They are shoplifting to feed their addiction. Participants must admit to that offence and commit to participating in the drug treatment court.

Under the court, people comply with very strict conditions around regular court appearances, drug testing, treatment and counselling and education and training. The court operates on Green Street. It is non-adversarial because the offenders are participating on a voluntary basis. As such, they have no need for legal representation. This system involves the Probation Service, An Garda Síochána, education services, welfare services and the court itself. The individual progresses, in a managed and supported way, away from addiction, crime and offending and towards addressing their addiction, achieving recovery, participating in education and training, rebuilding relationships and rebuilding their lives.

This really matters because the alternative to the drug treatment court is incarceration. Seven out of ten people in our prisons today have an addiction and six out of ten reoffend very shortly after being released. Sadly, many of those with addictions very quickly relapse or overdose when released from prison, doing themselves even further harm. Prison is not working for them. It is just compounding this cycle of addiction, offending and incarceration. This goes on and the cycle does not end. This really matters for those individuals, but it also matters for society.

I live close to Mountjoy Prison and the Dóchas Centre. I know there is a lot of opportunistic crime. Oftentimes, this would be somebody with an addiction being released from prison and on their way out opportunistically checking cars to see if they can get a bit of change or a bit of money to help themselves to their next fix. The drug treatment court actually makes communities safer because these individuals are admitting their offence. They are committing to a programme of treatment and recovery. They are participating in education and training. They are being supervised, helped and supported. This means that where they are back living in our communities they are being helped to do that in a meaningful way where they can participate in a healthy way for themselves but also for our communities and society.

In his response to my Commencement matter I hope the Minister of State might be able to share with the House when the evaluation will be published and what are the plans to make it a mainstream court and expand it regionally.

I thank Senator Fitzpatrick for raising this important matter. The Government is acutely aware of the real harm caused by drug misuse, which continues to impact individuals, families and communities across the country. The scourge of drugs presents serious challenges, not only to our health systems but also for the criminal justice system. For these reasons the drug treatment court represents an important and progressive intervention.

The drug treatment court is a supervised treatment, education and rehabilitation programme that provides an alternative to custodial sentences for persons found guilty of certain drug-related offences. The court was established in 2001 on a pilot basis as an alternative to custody for individuals whose offending behaviour is driven by an underlying drug dependency. It operates by way of a multidisciplinary team made up of staff from the HSE, An Garda Síochána, the Probation Service and the City of Dublin Education and Training Board, along with the Courts Service and the Judiciary.

Under the national drug strategy 2017 to 2025, steps to evaluate the drug treatment court and make recommendations on the future direction of the drug treatment courts nationwide are being undertaken. This action has been led by the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration in consultation with the Department of Health. The Centre for Justice Innovation was commissioned by the Department to carry out an evaluation of the court. The evaluation builds on the Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use recommendation that the State should adopt a comprehensive health-led response to drugs use. I can advise the House that the draft final report was received by the Department at the end of 2025 and shared with key stakeholders. The final report incorporating their feedback was received in February 2026 and is currently under consideration by the Department. The Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, expects to receive this report in the near future. The evaluation will provide an evidence base to inform policy development and decisions, including any consideration of the mainstreaming of funding and the wider roll-out of drug treatment courts.

The Government fully recognises the interest in expanding this model beyond its current operation. The Government also appreciates the desire to ensure that more individuals benefit from this approach, especially in areas where drug-related offending puts significant pressure on communities and the justice system. Any expansion, however, must be carefully planned and grounded in evidence. It should also be acknowledged that the rate of referrals to the drug treatment court is low and this is something that will need to be addressed going forward.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. I fully accept, agree with and support the premise that any expansion needs to be grounded in evidence, properly planned and, more importantly, properly resourced. It has to be set up to succeed and we cannot set it up to fail. I ask the Minister of State to convey back to the Department that this drug treatment court has been a pilot since 2001. In case they need reminding, we are now in 2026, which is 25 years or a quarter of a century later. I think the drug treatment court has low referrals primarily because people do not know about it. It is not being spoken about and it is not being used as effectively as it could be. More importantly, I genuinely believe the citizens' assembly gave a direction to politicians. The last interim Oireachtas committee on drugs gave a direction. The Minister with responsibility for drugs is in the process of finalising a new drugs strategy. We are all committed to achieving a health-led response to drugs.

To achieve a health-led response to drugs, the drug treatment court can play a part. It is only a part. It is not all of the solution but it can help to bridge from where we are today - with a judicial response - to a more health-led one. I urge the Minister of State and the Department to do that. I believe that it reduces crime, saves lives and money. It breaks that cycle and it makes for safer communities.

As I outlined, the evaluation is currently under consideration by the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration. This will be a key step in deciding its future. The evaluation will provide an indication of what is working well and where improvements can be made. However, it is essential to proceed with this based on strong evidence and ensuring that the necessary supports are in place and available with all relevant services. The Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, will carefully consider the evaluation's recommendations and engage with relevant colleagues and stakeholders on the next steps. Consideration of resources, inter-agency co-ordination and the availability of the appropriate treatment services are necessary. The Department will work closely with all relevant stakeholders to ensure that any development of the drug treatment court is effective and sustainable. I assure the Senator that the Minister is committed to advancing approaches to reduce reoffending and support rehabilitation. We acknowledge the important work that has been undertaken to date by the drug treatment court.

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, for being here. I know this is not his Department but I was advised that he was going to take this and he should have answers for me. I hope we will get something from this.

I am from County Limerick and I travel in and out of the county. I take the train from Colbert Station to Dublin every week. When I heard there was a rail line going down from Foynes to Limerick, I thought it was a fantastic thing to get for County Limerick. However, it is a freight line that is there at present. I have been told that the hope is that it will be turned into a passenger line. I have it on good authority, off the record from Iarnród Éireann, that this is an "if" not a "when". There is no guarantee that it will ever be a passenger line.

When I heard a temporary station and platform were being put into Adare Station, around the time of the Ryder Cup, I had a few questions. Why is it temporary? Is it possible to make it a permanent structure? My understanding is that Iarnród Éireann sold the train station in Adare just over ten years ago for €200,000 and bought it back last year for €2 million. A sum of €3 million is needed to put in a temporary platform and redo the station, which would result in €5 million of taxpayers' money being spent on something that people feel is only to facilitate those coming in from Limerick Junction to Adare for the Ryder Cup. There will not actually be a service for the people living in the area or anybody further out in west Limerick. The people coming to the Ryder Cup are going to go anyway, regardless of what kind of transport is there. They have their tickets and accommodation booked and they have their tickets for the golf. They are going to come in, whether it is by car or bus. Is the €5 million going into Adare Station and the temporary platform a good use of taxpayers' money? Could it be made permanent? Could the rail line be upgraded for the people of west Limerick to get use out of this, if that kind of money has to be put into that station?

I thank Senator Collins for raising this. A lot of my answer is specifically in relation to the development of the Limerick-Foynes line. I will try to get more detail about the possibility of it being turned into a passenger-commuter line. I have a piece on Adare as well and a projected timeline that might help the Senator and the people she represents.

On behalf of the Minister for Transport, I thank the Senator for the opportunity to discuss this.

The Limerick Shannon Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy sets out the framework for the delivery and development of the transport system of the Limerick region. A key principle of the strategy is to identify and protect key strategic routes for the movement of freight traffic and to improve access to Shannon Foynes Port. The reinstatement of the Limerick-to-Foynes railway line, to provide a freight service, supports this principle.

The rail freight network in Ireland is currently an underutilised asset. The development of an expanded rail freight network, additional services and facilities will support enhanced modal choice, supply chain resilience, economic development, regional balance and reduced carbon emissions. The reinstatement of the rail connection to the Port of Foynes will be fundamental to the growth objectives for both intermodal and bulk traffic at the port and will play an important role in improving connectivity along the western seaboard. Reinstating the line will give customers more options and support projected traffic growth resulting from mining, power generation and container transport in the region.

At a European level, Shannon Foynes Port is categorised as a core port under the Trans-European Network for Transport, TEN-T, regulation and the Foynes freight line is part of Ireland's core freight network. The regulation requires the port facilities at Foynes to be connected by high-quality rail and road links by 2030.

Works are well advanced on the reinstatement of the rail line, with the project set for completion in October of this year. Track laying was completed in 2025 and works on signalling and telecommunications are progressing. Works are also progressing on the refurbishment of Foynes station, which will be used for staff accommodation on site. The replacement of 13 level crossings with CCTV-monitored crossings will provide an improvement in safety over the previous gated crossings. The works will also connect the Foynes line to the existing network at Limerick. Once the line is commissioned in October, driver training will commence on the route before the first freight services begin operating in early 2027. The reopening of the line will deliver a reliable, frequent, and sustainable logistics option for many companies that currently or in the future will use the port of Foynes.

Linked to these overall works, construction has started on a temporary passenger station at Adare, which is set to support thousands of spectators travelling to and from the Ryder Cup in September 2027. The temporary station consists of a platform and external concourse. Construction, which is expected to take six months, is being progressed alongside works on the reinstatement of the Limerick-to-Foynes freight line.

While intended for temporary use during the period of the Ryder Cup, providing a sustainable way for thousands of visitors to access the event, the reacquisition of the former station building where the temporary platforms will be located also ensures that this access point to the line is safeguarded for future permanent passenger services on the line. In that regard, I note that the Limerick Shannon Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy indicates that passenger services on the Adare line could be considered in future, should development patterns support the viability of a regular service.

On behalf of the Minister for Transport, I hope this response helps clarify the matter. There certainly are positive elements in the reply in terms of the building of the temporary station at Adare. I assume from the Senator's question that she hopes that this is the permanent passenger link that is put in as opposed to the entire length of the Foynes link and I would take positivities from that response, in that they are securing the potential for it being a permanent passenger line. The sooner that would happen after the temporary station is built, the better.

I completely agree that having a freight line is very important. I go over and back to Foynes quite often. I would have a lot to do with Foynes and I understand how important it is to have that freight line for the moving of goods.

My query is more around the fact that €5 million is being put in. It seems like it is opportunistic for the Ryder Cup. I am all for the business and tourism that will come from the Ryder Cup but I would like to see a guarantee that this will turn into a passenger line. Whether it is from Foynes to Limerick or Foynes to Shannon, or whether it is only from Adare in to Limerick or to Shannon, we need a guarantee before €5 million of taxpayers' money is pumped into something that may only be in use for a week and may only be around for the Ryder Cup.

I get the Senator's concern. I would take positives, if I was looking at it from the Senator's point of view. The Senator is trying to deliver permanent passenger connectivity with Adare. It will have a permanent station. I am assuming - I cannot guarantee this and we will have to get it checked - that it will not only be used for the week-long event, which is the Ryder Cup, but that there may be a window either side of that event to allow passengers to travel.

That is a great template to say that we have established that there is a need for this and people will use it if we build it. The track will be there. With the investment being put into it, one would imagine that it would not take a massive further investment to secure a permanent platform and concourse. It is worth exploring further. I know the answer does not concretely answer the Senator's question but I would take it as a positive that the Department is saying that it intends to use this opportunity to create a permanent passenger route. Watch this space. Incidently, the Ryder Cup in Adare will be amazing for Limerick.

It is going to be fantastic.

I thank the Minister of State. As there has been a vote in the Dáil, we may have to wait for the next Minister of State, who I understand is on the way.

I thank the Minister of State for coming in. I raise the issue of the slow reopening of beds in Killybegs Community Hospital. Since December only two beds have been reopened. At a time when we see our hospitals under such huge pressure, this is very worrying for families and patients in south-west Donegal.

I want to state clearly the staff in Killybegs Community Hospital are doing their very best. Nurses, healthcare assistants and all staff are working extra hours and going beyond the call of duty to keep the 22 beds currently open there running smoothly. They deserve great credit and support. However, staff can only do so much without proper resourcing and staffing levels. I am asking the Minister of State and the HSE to explain why more beds have not been reopened and what is being done to speed up the process. Some practical steps that could help include faster recruitment of nurses and healthcare assistants; offering flexibility of part-time hours to attract more staff; bringing back retired staff who may be willing to help; using temporary agency staff until permanent staff are hired; providing extra supports for rural hospitals like Killybegs Community Hospital and other community hospitals across the country; improving recruitment timelines; and filling posts more quickly.

Community hospitals are vital for older people and families. They want to be close to their loved ones at home. People in Killybegs, Kilcar, Carrick, Glencolumbkille, Ardara, Glenties and Dunkineely deserve a clear plan and timeline of the reopening of these beds as soon as possible. Every week I get phone calls to my office and myself from patients looking for beds in Killybegs Community Hospital. We have to travel a long distance to Letterkenny. It might be two hours of a round trip and it is the same to Sligo. These beds are in the hospital – all we need is the staff. Is there any chance we can get this up and going as soon as possible? The people of this area really rely on this hospital. We deserve the beds there. There is nothing worse than someone ringing you and you cannot get them into the community hospital in Killybegs. They might only need a bit of respite for a couple of weeks to give the people at home a bit of time to themselves. I appeal to the Minister of State to try to help me get these 13 beds up and going again.

I thank Senator Boyle for raising this important matter. I join him in acknowledging the great work of the staff there. I also acknowledge the vital healthcare role that Killybegs Community Hospital plays and the excellent level of care it provides to residents and their families in the Killybegs community and surrounding areas.

I advise the Senator that the maximum capacity in Killybegs Community Hospital is 33 beds, with 13 long-term care beds and 20 short-term care beds. The HSE has advised that there are currently 22 beds open, comprising 13 long-term and nine short-term beds. While all of the available long-term care beds in Killybegs Community Hospital are occupied, there are currently 11 short-term care beds that are not operational. Killybegs Community Hospital cannot admit any more residents at the present time as the opening of additional beds is dependent on safe staffing levels. To ensure the safety of both residents and staff, bed capacity is configured around adequate staffing levels and an appropriate staff skill mix must be in place.

There are challenges in recruiting staff in community nursing units and community hospitals in more rural locations such as Killybegs. I assure the Senator that HSE West and North West is committed to filling all vacant posts in Killybegs Community Hospital and will continue to explore all available options to fill these posts.

The service has been liaising closely with HR colleagues to ensure that roles at Killybegs Community Hospital are prioritised for recruitment in order to help support the opening of the closed beds. On foot of a recruitment campaign for nurses and multitask attendants for the hospital, three nurses are currently progressing through the recruitment system. One has a confirmed start date and two are undergoing employment clearances. Additionally, one multitask attendant is currently at job acceptance stage. It is anticipated that these staff members will take up post between June and July 2026, allowing for the opening of six of the 11 beds. A further multitask attendant recruitment campaign specifically targeted at Killybegs Community Hospital is planned in the coming weeks. This will allow for the opening of the remaining five beds, demonstrating the continued focus and commitment to addressing staffing shortfalls. The HSE has also engaged with employment agencies to explore the provision of staff to support the reopening of beds. Unfortunately, agency capacity in the Killybegs area remains very limited. Despite these challenges, the service continues to actively pursue all available avenues to secure the necessary workforce.

I assure Senator Boyle that I, the Department of Health and the HSE are fully committed to addressing this issue and to ensuring that Killybegs Community Hospital will be operating at full capacity at the earliest possible date. The HSE has committed to reopening all the closed beds on a phased basis pending the successful recruitment of staff. As already stated, it is looking to open six of the 11 beds once the staff are in place in June and July.

The HSE West and North West will continue to engage with residents and their families, staff and the wider community on all updates in relation to the opening of the closed beds in Killybegs Community Hospital. I am very committed to getting beds that are closed in existing public community nursing home facilities opened. The Senator has made a very valid point. As I have said, staff are on the way and are being recruited to get five of the 11 beds open in June and July when they are in place. A further recruitment campaign is about to commence to get the staff necessary to facilitate the open of the remaining six beds. It is hugely important for the people in the Killybegs area that the hospital has its full complement of beds open.

The Minister of State has responsibility for older people. I totally understand what he is trying to do here. It is great that six beds will be opened in June and July. That is great news for the people in Killybegs Community Hospital. I know the HSE faces staffing challenges. However, we have to target small community hospitals throughout the country, including the one in Killybegs. Hospitals need to have beds reopened. For a small community in south-west Donegal, six beds are great. We need to get all 11 opened. As the Minister of State will know from being in public life, we often get a phone call on a Friday evening from a family looking for a bed when there is no bed there and we end up ringing around. These people just want to be close to their loved ones. It is a long distance from Killybegs to the hospitals in Letterkenny and Sligo. I am very appreciative that the beds are reopening. I ask the Minister of State to double down to make sure that all 11 are opened as soon as possible.

I again thank Senator Boyle for raising this important issue on behalf of the people in the Killybegs area. As I have already outlined, there are currently 22 beds operational in Killybegs Community Hospital, 11 of which are currently closed. It is hoped that the staff will be in place in June and July to open six of the 11 beds that are unopened. A multitask attendant recruitment campaign targeted strictly at Killybegs Community Hospital is planned in the coming weeks allowing for the opening of the remaining five beds. This demonstrates the continued focus and commitment to addressing the staff shortfalls.

I assure Senator Boyle that all efforts are being made on a continual basis to ensure appropriate staffing is in place to maximise the residential capacity in Killybegs Community Hospital, including ongoing recruitment campaigns. The HSE is committed to reopening all the closed beds pending the successful recruitment of staff.

As I said, six beds will reopen in June and July. A recruitment campaign is under way to get the staffing levels in place to open the remaining five of the 11 beds. As Minister of State with responsibility for older people, I, the Department of Health and the HSE are committed to ensuring that all available residential care services for older people at Killybegs Community Hospital are fully operational as soon as possible.

Before we move on, I will break with the normal rules of the House and ask Members to join me in giving a warm céad míle fáilte to an incredible young man, Austin Appelbee, aged 13. Members may have heard Austin's story from February of this year, when he undertook an incredible act of bravery in Western Australia in order to save the lives of his mother Joanne, his brother Beau and his sister Grace. Austin undertook a four-hour, 4 km swim, followed by a 2 km run, to contact emergency services, which ultimately led to everyone being rescued by the emergency services. What an incredible feat. We are delighted to have Austin and his family in the Visitors Gallery today as the guests of Deputy David Maxwell. They are very welcome. I imagine Austin will be doing triathlons soon. It is a huge credit to him and his family. Well done. It is great to have them here.

I welcome Austin and his family to the House. I followed Austin’s heroics out at sea, from where he swam back in. A triathlon was mentioned by the Acting Chair. Austin was very brave. The Irishness came out through him. He was never going to give up, and he did not give in. We acknowledge that today. I hope the Cathaoirleach and the State in some way acknowledge Austin's bravery. I also welcome Deputy David Maxwell, who is with the family. Well done, Austin.

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. I raise this matter to seek a clear and up-to-date position on the long-awaited opening of the new 130-bed community nursing unit in Killarney, County Kerry. This will mean real security for elderly people in Killarney and the Kerry area. It is a state-of-the-art facility designed to replace the St. Columbanus home and Killarney Community Hospital. It represents one of the most significant investments in services for older people in the region. I congratulate the Minister of State on the work he has put into this since I made contact with him in the past couple of months. He has shown a never-ending desire to get this to fruition.

Construction has been completed, the building has been handed over and the community has been repeatedly assured that the opening is, as we say, around the corner. Yet, despite these assurances, residents, families and staff still do not have a definite timeline for when the first patients will be transferred. They are waiting anxiously for what will be the jewel in the crown of services for older people in Kerry.

I am asking for three points of clarification today. First, can the Minister of State provide the latest update on the opening date of the unit? When is HIQA expected to complete its assessment? Can the Minister of State confirm that HIQA registration is the final step before opening? Second, can he confirm whether there are any outstanding staffing issues? While the HSE has stated that workforce planning is under way, there are concerns locally in the county about recruitment pauses and the impact this may have on opening the unit on a phased basis. We need clarity on whether staffing is fully in place. Will the Minister of State clarify what is meant by the opening of the unit on a phased basis? Third, is the facility now fully furnished, equipped and clinically ready for occupation? Are all of the necessary beds, medical equipment, assistive technologies and dementia-specific supports installed, tested and operational?

Given his role as Minister of State with responsibility for older persons, I ask Deputy O'Donnell to outline what are the future plans for the St. Columbanus home and Killarney Community Hospital once the new Killarney community nursing unit opens.

These buildings are significant public assets. A minor injuries unit is planned for one section of the St. Columbanus property. It will cater for people with less serious injuries - fractures, strains, burns, etc. - rather than those people being obliged to travel to UHK and clog up the accident and emergency department.

What options are being considered for the remainder of these properties? They are public and could be valuably used going forward in the context of the Minister of State's directorate. This project has been years in the making. The people of Killarney and Kerry and the staff and the residents who will call this unit their new home deserve certainty about the opening.

If the Acting Chairperson will give me a moment, I wish to acknowledge the Appelbees. It is quite a coincidence. I met them in the corridor a couple of minutes ago. I assume that is Austin's grandmother. I want to acknowledge her. Mothers are very important. Austin is living in Perth, and his mother is from Monaghan. It is a great tribute. I said to Austin's mum that she must be proud of him; she said she is very proud. At some stage, we may come calling for Austin to represent Ireland. He will have a big choice to make at some point. It is a happy day. I congratulate Austin, his mum and everyone, and I acknowledge my colleague Deputy Maxwell, who the family are here as guests of. The Deputy is very enthusiastic about everything Austin has done.

I thank Senator Kennelly for raising this important matter. Long-term residential care is a crucial part of the overall continuum of care. Across the country, our HSE community nursing units, CNUs, and community hospitals play a vital role in the provision of long-term care and other services. This Government is committed to continued investment in healthcare infrastructure which supports the highest quality care for our older population. This investment includes the CNU capital programme, which was launched to ensure that up to 90 of our public CNUs and community hospitals would be refurbished or replaced to ensure the best possible environments for our older people.

The public-private partnership, PPP, aspect of the CNU programme continues to progress and will deliver 528 beds in seven facilities across the country. The new CNU in Killarney is part of the PPP project and will have a complement of 130 beds, comprising 50 long-stay beds, 30 dementia-specific beds and 50 short-stay beds. The CNU will provide a high-quality living environment which will be in line with all regulatory requirements.

The new facility was handed over to the HSE by the contractor in December 2025. HSE South West has advised me that preparations for Killarney CNU to welcome residents are at an advanced stage. The application for the registration of Killarney CNU has been submitted to HIQA. An opening date for the CNU will be finalised once HIQA registration has been achieved. This will allow for the opening over the coming weeks.

Once HIQA registration is secured, the new unit will open on a phased basis, with a planned transfer of residents from St. Columbanus and the district hospital to the new building. HSE South West has assured me that there is ongoing engagement with residents and their families ahead of the transfer. Room allocation has already been agreed with the residents. Open evenings for residents and their families to see the new unit before transfer are being finalised. In simple terms, the phased basis will involve the residents and staff moving into the CNU first. This will be followed by the additional 29 beds that are being provided in the centre. Staff will be recruited, which is ongoing in that space.

As Minister of State, I am directly involved with the Department and the HSE in getting Killarney CNU open as quickly as possible. All current staff will transfer to the new facility, and I have been advised that the recruitment campaigns for the additional staff required are well under way to allow for the opening of the additional beds in Killarney CNU. There are no issues with recruitment of additional staff. That continues as normal. It is important people be given that reassurance. Engagement with union representatives at a local level is also ongoing. I particularly thank staff representative bodies for their continued engagement. There is intensive engagement taking place at the moment. HSE South West will continue to engage with residents, their families, staff and the wider community on all updates relating to the opening of the new Killarney CNU.

I want to advise the Senator that the HSE has established a site review committee to carry out a structured assessment of current and future healthcare accommodation needs in Killarney, including the future use of the district hospital and St. Columbanus. The HSE is planning to set up an injury unit in the vacated St. Columbanus building to support the existing emergency department in UHK in Tralee. A design team for the injury unit has been appointed, and the project will now move into the necessary regulatory, technical and planning approval stages to facilitate progression to construction. Alongside the development of the injury unit, the future use of the remaining accommodation within St. Columbanus hospital will be considered by the review committee.

The opening of the new CNU in Killarney is an absolute priority for me, the Department of Health and the HSE. This state-of-the-art CNU will enhance the lives of older people in Killarney and surrounding areas for many years to come by providing health and social care services of the highest quality. I look forward to seeing it fully operational. I am advised by the HSE that it has already had the existing residents over to the new CNU in terms of their picking out the rooms they would like to occupy there.

In summary, the matter is currently with HIQA. Once approval from HIQA comes through, the patients in St. Columbanus Community Hospital and Killarney Community Hospital will transfer to the new facility. The HSE will continue with the recruitment of staff in order to have a full complement to cover the additional 29 beds.

It is great when to hear such great and welcome news for the people of Kerry. This will be a 130-bed unit that will serve not just Kerry but also neighbouring areas across the county border. I was recently contacted by elderly people who are recuperating following hospital visits or whatever and who do not have community hospitals in their areas. They have been going to Killarney as a result.

This is great news. I am delighted that all stakeholders are being engaged with. There is an end line in sight. I ask that the Minister of State to double down over the next couple of weeks in order to get approval from HIQA, get the patients transferred and ensure that the staff happy. Once the staff are happy, the residents, their families and the whole of County Kerry will be happy. I want to put on the record my thanks to the Minister of State for his work on this.

Once again, I thank Senator Kennelly for raising this very important matter of the opening of the new CNU in Killarney. As I stated, the matter is currently with HIQA for registration. Once that comes through, the HSE will be able to open the new unit and transfer the existing 101 residents from St. Columbanus and the district hospital in Killarney to it. Recruitment of the additional staff continues. I want to see the full complement of the 29 additional beds opened as quickly as possible.

In terms of the question that the Senator raised about the facility, it is fully furnished. It has been fully equipped and is clearly ready for occupation. That would normally fall to be done in the normal way under the terms of the HIQA registration process, which is reassuring. The main target for me is that the HIQA registration comes through. That is an independent process, but everyone is working to ensure that it happens as quickly as possible. The application is in. Once the HIQA registration comes through, the existing staff and the 101 residents will move to their new home. It is their new home.

It is.

Furthermore, the recruitment of additional staff continues. I want to see the 29 additional beds opened as quickly as possible. While a minor injuries unit is going into the St. Columbanus property, a review group has been set up by HSE South West to specifically look at the additional capacity there and at the district hospital in Killarney to find a proper use for them. Work is ongoing in that regard. I want to see that concluded as quickly as possible as well.

I thank the Minister of State.