asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a report from the North-Western Health Board to the effect that the increase in the number of hospital patients has far exceeded the increase in the bed complement in the general hospitals in this area; and the plans, if any, his Department has to remedy the situation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - North-Western Health Board Hospital Accommodation.
9.
I have seen the report referred to which indicates a 15 per cent increase in the number of patients treated in general hospitals in the area in 1974 and a 4 per cent increase in bed complement.
The health board is planning to counteract the increased pressure by an increase in bed complement and in staff resources both in the short term and in the long term.
As regards staff resources, seven extra consultant posts have been approved for the general hospitals at Letterkenny and Sligo and, in addition, an extra anaesthetist post has been filled at Letterkenny.
At Letterkenny—14 extra maternity beds were provided in November, 1974, which will ease the situation there; a 50-bed acute psychiatric admission unit is being built and will be associated with the general hospital; a new X-ray Department and a new Outpatients Department are being provided. At Sligo a second operating theatre was brought into commission in mid-1974; an additional theatre is being planned and it is hoped that work on this project will commence this year. At Manorhamilton work is proceeding on an extension to the X-ray Department and improvements to the Outpatients Department.
I have authorised the commencement of planning of a major extension to Letterkenny General Hospital.
Would the Minister state if the Shiel Hospital in Ballyshannon is fully utilised in the context of this shortage of hospital beds?
I do not know what the position is, but I will inquire into it.
Would the Minister not agree that, against the background of growing patient numbers and a lack of beds, it seems ridiculous to have a hospital virtually without a commission?
I will make inquiries.
At the end of his statement the Minister mentioned that he had approved some extensions to the Letterkenny hospital. Could he give us details of what exactly is involved?
I cannot give exact details but they have been given the go-ahead signal. It is not necessary that it will be taken as a matter of priority. The Deputy will appreciate that the improvement in the building of hospitals under a new scheme will cost millions of pounds.
Would the Minister agree that in this north-western region there is a need for a doubling of the capacity at Letterkenny and Sligo? As I tried to point out earlier, a Ceann Comhairle, but you did not give me permission to do so, do all these questions not indicate the vital urgency for the Minister to announce some general plan for hospital development throughout the country?
I will subscribe to that. The Deputy will also admit that there was the same urgency prior to our taking office. There was nothing done in this regard since the publication of the FitzGerald Report in 1968 up to February, 1973.
Question No. 10.
Does the Minister regard it as a satisfactory discharge of his responsibility to keep referring to what was or was not done by a previous Administration? The facts are that the Fianna Fáil Administration, in so far as circumstances demanded in their time, provided as much accommodation as possible as the Vote would permit. We are asking the Minister to discharge his responsibility. He is now Minister for Health. It is his responsibility. The people who are in need of these services will not be satisfied by the Minister's petty references to history. That is not what we are concerned with.
We cannot debate this matter today.
As the Deputy knows, I have been concerned with the development of a hospital plan. As I said earlier, I have to take everything into consideration.
I have no evidence of this.
Will the Deputy cast his mind back to 1968 when the then Minister, I forget who he was, said he accepted the FitzGerald Report in principle?
Surely the Minister remembers who was Minister for Health in 1968?
For nearly five years nothing was done about it. Because there was such disquiet about the report from both sides of the House I decided to consult the local people. I have done that and it took quite a long time. As soon as the information is correlated I will make the announcement about the establishment of these hospitals, whether it displeases members of the Fianna Fáil Party or any other party.
It will not displease us.
I am calling Question No. 10.
How can the Minister reconcile the statement he made now with what he read in his reply? He has just said that the position existed during Fianna Fáil days and in his answer he pointed to a 15 per cent increase last year in the number of patients seeking to get into hospitals.
Next question, please.