asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that there is a complete lack of facilities for carrying out eye operations in the County Hospital, Tralee, that the patients in need of such treatment have to take their place on long waiting lists for outside hospitals and are eventually put to unnecessary expense when accommodation is provided for them at some distant place such as Dublin; if he is further aware that a private institution in the town has found it possible to provide such facilities locally for its private patients; and, if so, whether he will have immediate steps taken to have facilities provided for eye operations at the county hospital if necessary by the use of present outpatients wards for the purpose as soon as the new county clinic opens.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Tralee Hospital Facilities.
I am advised that there is grave danger involved in the performance of major ophthalmic surgery at centres where there is not a special unit properly equipped and properly staffed to deal with the work. The provision of such a unit in relatively small county hospitals would be uneconomic and in the circumstances I have refused to sanction the performance of major ophthalmic work in county hospitals, including the County Hospital, Tralee.
No objection has been raised, however, to the performance of minor ophthalmic surgery in the county or to the performance of major ophthalmic operations at the county hospital in cases of emergency. I am aware that there is a waiting list for operations for squint and I am in communication with the local authority as to the best means of dealing with this problem.
I have no information as to the nature of such ophthalmic operations as may be performed in a private nursing home in Tralee as the home is not under the control of the local authority.