asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there are at present 87 patients urgently awaiting treatment in the county hospital at Cavan but that, owing to the insufficiency of hospital beds there, people are deprived of the treatment they require; and if, in view of this unsatisfactory position, he will now sanction the immediate building of the new hospital in Cavan.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cavan County Hospital.
I am aware of the difficult position caused by the heavy demand for treatment in the Cavan Surgical Hospital, but I am assured that everything possible is being done to ensurethat acute surgical cases are admitted and treated without delay.
As the Deputy is aware a number of desirable projects had to be postponed in order to enable rapid progress to be made with the urgent hospital works included in the short-term building programme. The success of the policy of pressing on with a limited programme is shown by the fact that, by the end of the year, 4,200 extra hospital beds of all kinds will have been provided.
I shall certainly consider very fully the position in Cavan in drawing up the building programme to follow that now proceeding.