asked the Minister for Health if, having regard to the fact that his Department three and a half years ago approved in principle the provision of additional accommodation at St. Kevin's Hospital for premature infants, maternity out-patient facilities and training facilities for pupil midwives, he will now give approval to the Dublin Health Authority to place the contract for this urgent work.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - St. Kevin's Hospital, Dublin.
96.
As the Deputy will no doubt be aware, the consultative council on the general hospital services has recommended that a general hospital of not more than 500 acute care beds should be established at St. Kevin's Hospital involving the Dublin Health Authority and certain of the existing voluntary hospitals. I have asked the hospital authorities concerned for their views on the manner in which this recommendation might best be implemented and to report to me by the end of January next.
In the light of these developments I have informed the health authority that it would be desirable to review the project at the maternity unit in the context of the changes which are envisaged generally at St. Kevin's.
As soon as the general picture is clarified, the further action to be taken in regard to this project will be resumed without delay.
Does the Minister visualise for a moment that there will not be a maternity unit in any reorganisation of St. Kevin's Hospital? If he does not visualise the disappearance of the maternity unit there will he not now give the green light for the use of this unit to provide facilities for the care of premature infants, for maternity out-patients and for training facilities? No matter what the commission may say, we will need this modicum of accommodation for the maternity wing of St. Kevin's.
It is most likely there will be a maternity unit there. Whatever consideration is now being given to the recommendations in the report, the recommendations should be carried out without any real delay. I am just as anxious as the Deputy that a final decision be made in regard to the various matters that have been under consideration in regard to St. Kevin's.
Will the Minister not agree that he has been notified that there is little likelihood of the various hospital authorities in Dublin being in a position to make recommendations to the Minister before January next? In effect, if he delays giving permission for the maternity facilities in St. Kevin's pending the outcome of the discussions, it may be years before the matter is finalised.
If I may put it this way to the Deputy, if I do not receive the report by the end of January I will not wait any longer.
97.
asked the Minister for Health when he will approve the application of Dublin Health Authority for approval for the extension of the heating ducts at St. Kevin's Hospital to the maternity hospital to answer the urgent heating and hot water requirements in that unit.
The Dublin Health Authority has accepted estimates from certain contractors for the construction of ducts and the laying of steam mains to Hospital 5, St. Kevin's Hospital, and the carrying out of necessary adaptations and the equipment of the plant room. The health authority notified my Department within the last two months of the action they had taken and the extent of the commitments involved. They sought approval at that stage to the allocation of the funds, including grants that would be required to meet these commitments.
Apart from questions related to financing, the proposals raise a number of technical problems concerning which further information is required. A meeting has been arranged between officers of my Department and of the health authority to discuss these.
Does the Minister realise that there is a danger that the heating and the hot water requirements of the maternity unit may break down in the coming winter, and will he ensure that the heating ducts are provided without delay?
One of the issues involved here is that the Dublin Health Authority, contrary to my expresssed wishes and to Government policy, decided to go for oil-fired rather than turf-fired heating. I do not like this. Indeed, I do not like the tendency I see generally throughout the country to ignore what is established Government policy in regard to the use of native fuel.
Would the Minister agree that any difference that may be between the minister and the public health authority about the fuel being used in the new boiler will be no compensation or comfort for the people in the maternity unit if the heating system breaks down as is quite likely to happen unless we get ahead with the work at St. Kevin's?
I have asked at the conference that the technical matters be finalised. The Deputy will be aware that because of the use of oil I am not prepared to make a grant towards the cost.