asked the Minister for Health if proposals are before his Department for improving the facilities in the neurosurgical, vascular and radiological units of St. Laurence's Hospital, Dublin; and, if so, when they will be approved.
14.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - St. Laurence's Hospital, Dublin.
13.
asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a report (details supplied) that £209,000 is needed by St. Laurence's Hospital, Dublin, as a stop-gap measure to meet the growing demand on its vital national services; and that if the hospital is to continue expanding at its present rate there is now a need to prepare plans for a new enlarged hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 13 and 14 together. Proposals for improved facilities, including new theatres and X-Ray department, at St. Laurence's Hospital have already been approved. I hope to be in a position to allow work on these improvements to commence later this year.
As regards the shape of longer-term developments in north Dublin, I am surprised that the Deputy has not, apparently, had regard to the recommendations in the FitzGerald Report which have been the subject of discussion and negotiation between the parties concerned for some time past. These proposals envisage the concentration of north side general hospital and specialist services on two sites— the Mater and James Connolly Memorial hospitals. Significant progress has been made in the case of the James Connolly Hospital project through the setting up of a board under the Health (Corporate Bodies) Act, 1961 to manage the hospital and develop it as a general hospital. The board is composed of representatives of the former Dublin Health Authority, the Mater, St. Laurence's and Jervis Street hospitals and they are setting about their task in a purposeful and energetic way. A feasibility study has been undertaken in regard to development on the Mater site and I hope that clarification of the full picture of north Dublin development will emerge in the course of the next few months.
Is the Minister satisfied that the Mater Hospital site is adequate to provide the expanded services and is it his intention to allow services at St. Laurence's Hospital to run down? Would he not agree there is duplication under the present system when it is realised that three national services are provided at St. Laurence's Hospital?
Eventually some of the acute medical care services would run down but, as the Deputy knows, it takes about five years to build a hospital so that the matter is not one of urgency. It was considered that it would be feasible to build a hospital on the Mater site but negotiations still have to be undertaken in regard to this.
Is the Minister satisfied that the Mater Hospital site itself is big enough to cope with the need?
Yes, it was indicated that other property adjacent to the Mater Hospital would become available.