asked the Minister for Health if he proposes to take the necessary action to ensure that the general hospital at Portlaoise, County Laois, presently understaffed, is fully staffed with porters, attendants, domestic staff and nurses, if a fully equipped accident unit exists in the hospital but lacks the necessary staff, and if he will remedy this situation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Portlaoise Hospital Staffing.
9.
Staffing of the general hospital at Portlaoise is in the first instance a matter for the Midland Health Board. Proposals from the health board regarding extra staff for the hospital, including porters, attendants and nurses, were received in my Department in January 1980. These proposals will be examined in the light of the allocation of funds to my Department for the current year.
A casualty unit is provided at the hospital. The health board applied in 1978 for approval for two extra nurses to meet the needs of this unit. These two additional posts were approved by my Department in March 1978, but it is understood from recent inquiries to the health board that the casualty unit has not yet opened because it is now felt that two extra nurses are not adequate to staff it. I am prepared to have this examined but consider the delay in opening the unit regrettable, seeing that the staff the board sought in 1978 had been agreed to then.
Questions Nos. 10 to 16, inclusive, postponed. Question No. 17 for written reply. Questions Nos. 18 and 19 postponed.