I welcome the fact the Minister of State, Deputy O'Dea, is in the House because his efforts will be important in this regard. It is essential a paediatric unit is opened in Limerick Regional Hospital before the winter. As the Leas-Cheann Comhairle will know, there tends to be a rush on hospitals in the winter, particularly on paediatric wards dealing with sick children, which tend to be quietest at this time of the year. It is essential that work is done to put this unit in place by the autumn so it will be available for the inevitable winter rush.
Last winter there was gross overcrowding in the paediatric unit of Limerick Regional Hospital. That situation cannot continue for another winter not only for the sick children who are very vulnerable but also their parents who must sit on hard chairs between beds. There is also a danger of cross infection where sick children are close together.
I want to ensure the unit is open in the autumn. There is no reason it should not be because the building is ready and the unit is waiting to be opened. Sums have been done and those involved are ready to order the equipment needed to open the unit. All that is needed is the funding to employ the extra staff and provide for the opening of the unit. At present a maximum of 32 beds, although generally the number is 25, are available to children in the Limerick Regional Hospital. They are divided into two areas with smaller babies in one area and older ones in another. The staff are over-worked and conditions are not acceptable for sick children. The new unit will have 53 beds, 29 private rooms, a day unit and a high dependency unit as well as facilities for parents.
We should not have to wait any longer for this unit. I say that in the context of everything being ready and, in particular, in light of the huge budget surplus which is being predicted again this year. It has been predicted that we will have an extra £1.5 billion apart from the extra money made on the sale of State assets. To open the unit, we are looking for a minuscule fraction of that budget surplus. We are talking about less than £400,000 in the current year and £1.581 million in a full year. Even if the State buys Farmleigh House for £24 million – I note Vincent Browne said we should not spend money buying it because of the various other needs – and we forget about the sale of assets, if we get the £400,000 which we need this year, we will still have a ten figure surplus of £1,476,600,000, if my figures are correct. We are looking for a tiny amount and it is crazy not to allocate that funding. The Minister for Health and Children should fight his case with the Minister for Finance and he would have the country behind him. He should get money for units such as this, for the elderly, the mentally and physically handicapped and for waiting lists. I am sure there are many other needs. I honestly believe we should spend this surplus money on current needs and not just retain it in the coffers of the State. I think we have the second lowest debt among EU member states after Luxembourg. There is not a reason not to spend the money. The Minister would be the most popular holder of that office if he spent it and I urge that the money be made available this year for the opening of the paediatric unit in Limerick Regional Hospital.