asked the Minister for Health if provision is being made for the inclusion of a crêche in the new hospital at Beaumont, Dublin; and, if not, if he will consider making such provision.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Hospital Crêche.
38.
The question of providing a crêche in the Beaumont Hospital is a matter in the first instance for the Beaumont Hospital Board and the provision of such facilities is being considered by the board.
Would the Minister not agree it would be a good thing in principle if a crêche were provided in all public buildings?
That is a separate question.
There are arguments for and against providing crêches in hospitals but in this case the decision probably will be to provide some crêche facilities. In some hospitals they provide crêche facilities only for the staff working in the hospitals.
Is the Minister not aware of the extreme hardship experienced by parents visiting hospitals who are not able to have other people look after their children? The provision of crêches in hospitals would help in many ways those people who must travel long distances to get to the hospitals.
I have seen at firsthand the difficulties with which mothers have to cope in order to get hospital treatment particularly in the out-patients' department for themselves or their children. As the Deputy is probably aware, I have established a group to look into the whole question of out-patient department facilities to see how they might be improved.