asked the Minister for Health if, pending the provision of the projected new hospital in Dublin North East, he will arrange for the provision of outpatient specialist facilities in the area for sick people, young and old, and particularly mothers of families who endure serious physical hardship and disruption of domestic routine in travelling across the city especially when public transport is not available.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Outpatient Specialist Facilities.
81.
The Deputy will readily appreciate that to provide specialist outpatient services in clinic buildings at a distance from back-up services available in a hospital, such as radiology and pathology, would either be unsatisfactory or unduly expensive. In the case of maternity services, a good deal of the investigative work which arises can be done at an outstation clinic and such outpatient services are provided at Coolock from the Rotunda and St. James's hospitals. With the opening of the North Strand Clinic shortly ante-natal services will also be available there. The Rotunda Hospital also holds ante-natal clinics at the Orthopaedic Hospital, Clontarf.
I appreciate the special problems of patients in North East Dublin and I am aware that the Eastern Health Board have for some time been exploring the possibility of finding a solution. Since these efforts have not been successful I am asking the health board to look into the making of arrangements with CIE for direct special bus services from selected points in the North East to Temple Street and the Mater Hospitals.
I wonder would the Parliamentary Secretary kindly convey to the Minister the great inconvenience and hardship people are experiencing particularly at the present time during this transport strike when they have to travel seven or eight miles? They are lucky if they can get lifts into town. Then they have a very long wait at these clinics for these services. I would ask the Minister to examine these aspects of it. It is a terrible imposition on patients who have to attend these clinics. Their whole day is gone and, in a number of cases, they are not able to fulfil their appointments because they are so remote from these services.
I am afraid the Deputy is embarking on a long speech instead of asking a supplementary question.
Like the Deputy, I fully appreciate the hardship caused to these people. As I said in my reply, I am asking the Eastern Health Board and CIE to see if some arrangement can be made to make the situation easier for all concerned.
What effects the North East area affects all perimeter areas of Dublin. In view of the fact that the Parliamentary Secretary and his Department have accepted the need now for some arrangement to facilitate those people, would he as an emergency measure— in view of the fact that buses apparently will not be available to these people—consider taking some temporary accommodation at least in these outer areas and have clinical facilities available there until such time as the plans he has in mind may become operative?
The only thing I can say now is that it is expected that the newly constructed health centre at the North Strand will be opened in the next month or so and a full range of services similar to those in Coolock fill be available there.
I was thinking in terms of Finglas.