120. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 137 of 6 March 2025, if the development control plan and the options appraisal process for the master plan for University Hospital Galway has now been completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23679/25]

Sentiment score: -0.07

I am not sure which Minister is answering, but I am asking about the regional university hospital in Galway, a master plan we have been waiting on for a long time and a control development plan. I have in my hand the HIQA report from its last unannounced visit. There is a shortage of 232 beds and a huge difficulty in treating patients with dignity and respect and privacy, notwithstanding the improvements that have been made and good comments from the patients. We are talking about a hospital that is under serious pressure. The Minister might give me an update, please.

Sentiment score: 0.23

Unfortunately, I will not be there for that photo opportunity on Thursday because the Dáil will still be sitting.

Sentiment score: 0.10

I welcome that the Minister is going to Galway. The reason I put my hands up is that we had the former Taoiseach back in 2017 tell us it was not fit for purpose. It is now 2025. I am looking at a HIQA report from last year that states that a strategic assessment preliminary business case had been completed, approved by the Health Service Executive board and submitted to the Department of Health, so forgive me if I am little frustrated. I was born, bred and reared in Galway. I have been in and out of that hospital for many reasons. I know it on every level, professionally and personally. It has not been fit for purpose for a very long time. I heard what the Minister read out to me; I appreciate they are her answers. I have all of those answers I am getting. Hopefully, when she is there on Thursday, she will find out which plan has been completed and why I have been told that this one was done last year by HIQA; that was its answer to HIQA. I will not go over time; I will go under time actually.

Sentiment score: 0.09

I welcome that the Minister is going there-----

Sentiment score: 0.46

I welcome it, but she should listen to what I am saying. Back in 2015, it was not fit for purpose. We had Leo Varadkar down there telling us it was not fit for purpose, then we had Deputy Micheál Martin as Taoiseach, and here we are in 2025 and we are getting more and more plans. I welcome that there is something at the end of this month.

Sentiment score: 0.04

We have 31 people in there with nowhere to go due to delayed discharges. We have a serious problem with privacy and dignity. We have a problem with lack of staff and lack of clinical leads, notwithstanding the progress. I pay tribute to the staff. Let us go back to Savita Halappanavar in 2012, and forward. This is a hospital seriously under pressure, a congested site with not enough staff and not enough beds. It is short 232 beds according to its own press release. I pay tribute to the staff. What I do not pay tribute to is all of the Governments that have let this happen. There was an options appraisal way back where the hospital was to move to Merlin Park, and I foolishly relaxed thinking we were getting a brand new hospital. For the past five years we have been given a jigsaw approach to this and finally we are hearing now with a master plan, but there is no sign of it.

Sentiment score: -0.16