Healthcare Policy
Dail Éireann — 2026-03-05
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John Clendennen (FG), Offaly

I thank the Minister. It is welcome news that we are looking at new elective capacity in the midlands. It is something I have raised here in the past in this Chamber. We have a situation where patients and carers are travelling to every corner of the country rather than the midlands for that surgery and medical care. It will assist in relation to providing better care and local care but also with congestion, not just on roads but in facilities in the likes of Dublin, where patients have had to come for so long. That will take a demand pressure away from those hospitals by bringing a new facility, new capacity and a new modern facility to the midlands.
From my perspective, Tullamore is best suited to provide that facility. The performance ratings of the emergency department in Tullamore in particular are outstanding. Patients are seldom left on trolleys, but that is coming at the cost of elective care. This measure is very much welcome.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-03-05/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:44+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-03-05