asked the Minister for Health if he is prepared to establish a maternity unit in the James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Blanchardstown, Dublin.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Maternity Unit.
5.
The question of the provision of a maternity unit at James Connolly Memorial Hospital has to be considered in conjunction with the overall needs for maternity beds in the Dublin area and more specifically with the projected number of births in the catchment area of the hospital. It is difficult, however, to estimate accurately such needs in view of the changing position in relation to the number of births in Dublin in recent years. The matter is being kept under review but until a definite trend emerges it will not be possible to decide on future maternity bed requirements and where these should be provided.
Having regard to the development which has occurred in that area and in areas approximate to it, would the Minister accept that he would not need a research agency to tell him that there will be a need for a maternity unit in that hospital?
As far as development in that area is concerned housing did not go at the pace that was anticipated. Whilst there is an agreement in principle that a maternity unit will be provided, the number of births in Dublin fell by 800 in 1975 compared with 1974, and by 400 in 1976 compared with 1975, so there is a reduction of about 1,200 births over that period. The masters of the maternity hospitals met and discussed the whole situation and they said that not alone had they adequate maternity accommodation but they could take on more cases. At present it would appear superfluous to have another maternity unit in the Dublin area.
Having regard to the accessibility of Blanchardstown hospital to the likely mothers would the Minister accept that they should be considered? The same would apply to the Finglas area. It would be much easier for ladies to get to Blanchardstown than to the Rotunda hospital. The Minister will accept that often there can be delays for as long as an hour in getting through the traffic to the Rotunda hospital. Would the Minister also accept that in respect of births the mothers are in Blanchardstown, Clonsilla and Finglas rather than in the centre of the city?
I accept that it is a longer distance in from the James Connolly hospital; it it about five miles.
There is a lot of traffic congestion on the way in.
The Deputy will appreciate that according to the masters who discussed this in detail they have sufficient beds within the three hospitals now provided for maternity in Dublin, and they say that they could deal with more.
Would the Minister accept that the position of the mothers is one which must get priority over the position of the masters, even if it is inconvenient for the masters to move out? Surely we are concerned with providing the service where it is most beneficial to the people who are in need of it. A case can be made that Blanchardstown rather than the centre of the city should be the location for a maternity unit.
We have to consider it as a unit. Whilst I can understand the concern of mothers and families, the masters who discussed this are of the opinion that they would have very many more vacant beds in the Dublin hospitals if the James Connolly hospital were to have a maternity unit. There was an agreement in principle that a maternity unit would be built, but this has been postponed due to the trend in births. This problem was also discussed with the hospital authorities, although I do not know what their view was.